^#,  ^^^^^ 


-r^r^=^ 


-^ 


HISTORY 


y 


0  F 


%o,... 


WC/i. 


BY 


A..    Y.    MOORE 


ilTBLlSHED    BY    THE     PEESBYTEKY 


^    BX 

8958  ^. 


.  15 

M6 

1876 


1^ 


1  N  D  I A  N  A  P  O  L  IS: 

lillTt,  PRIKTEK,  CORNER  CIRCI.E  AKD  MEKIDIAN    STS 
18'7  6. 


^ 


'%^Li)(im\  ?.i\^^^^ 


BX  8958  .15  M6  1876 
Moore,  A.  Y. 
History  of  the  Presbytery  o; 
Indianapolis 


HISTORY 


OF 


h  htMm  of 


11$.  . 


BY 


J^.   Y.   ]si:  O  O  R  E 


PUBLISHED    BY    THE    PRESBYTERY^ 


INDIANAPOLIS: 

JOHN  G.   DOUGHTY,  PRINTER,  CORNER  MERIDIAN  AND  CIRCLE  STREETS. 
1876. 


Extract  from  the  Minutes  of  the  Presbytery  of  In- 
dianapolis, in  session  at  Greenwood,  September,  1875  • 

"  Rev.  A.  Y.  Moore  was  chosen  to  prepare  a  History  of  the 
Presbytery,  to  be  read  at  the  Spring  meeting." 

Extract  from  the  Minutes  of  Presbytery,  in  session 
at  Southport,  April,  1876  : 

"  Rev.  A.  Y.  Moore  read  a  i^art  of  the  History  he  had  prepared 
of  this  Presbytery,  and  he  was  requested  to  complete  the  History, 
and  prepare  it  for  publication." 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    I. 
Church   at    Bloomington — Eev.    Isaac   Reed — Bible  Society — 
First  Preaching  in  Indiana — First  Churches — Early  Times 
— The  State  Cai^ital  is  located  and  named — Organization  of 
Church  at  Indianapolis — Chronological  Comparisons 1 

CHAPTER  II. 
Louisville  and  Salem  Presbyteries — Indianapolis  as  a  Mission- 
ary Field — First  Ordination  in  the  State — Ordination  and 
Installation  at  Bloomington — Organization  of  Churches  at 
Columbus,  Franklin,  Greencastle,  and  Greenwood  —  Pres- 
bytery of  Wabash— Synod  of  Indiana — Difficulties  with 
Mr.  Bush  —  Presbytery  of  Crawfordsville  —  Difficulties  in 
Presbytery — Difficulties  Allayed 16 

CHAPTER  III, 
Presbytery  of  Indianapolis  —  First  Statistical  Report  —  The 
Field  and  its  Occupation  in  1830 — Decision  of  Pre.sbytery 
on  Representation,  Presbytery  Resisting  Division  —  Com- 
plaint against  Presbytery  —  Dissensions  from  Diversity  in 
Doctrine — Items — Hopewell  —  Industrial  Aspects  and  In- 
terests— Southport,  Danville,  Greencastle,  Shiloh,  Bethany 
— The  Field  at  the  time  of  the  Great  Division  of  the 
Church 27 


VI  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTEK  IV. 
Action  of  the  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis  in  the  Great  Division 
of  the  Church — Action  of  the  Presbytery  of  Crawfordsville — 
Greencastle  First — Greencastle  Second — Putnamville,  Pop- 
lar Spring,  Baiabridge,  Carpentersville,  Bloomington,  Co- 
lumbus      43 

CHAPTER    V. 
Second  Church  of  Indianapolis — Indianapolis  Presbytery,  N. 
S. —  Enlargement    of    Presbytery  —  Ministerial    Changes — 
Changes  in  Churches — Missionary  Work — Pastoral  Relation 
— Report  to  General  Assembly 50 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Presbytery  of  Indianapolis,  0.  S. — Churches  Organized — Min- 
isterial Changes — Lessons  from  the  History  of  Franklin 
Church  —  Ministerial  Support — Missionary  Work — Organi- 
zation of  White  Water  Presbytery,  and  Changes  in  the 
Boundaries  of  the  Presbytery 59 

CHAPTER    VII. 

View  of  the  Field  from  Reports  of  Indiana  Gazetteer — Num- 
ber of  Old  and  New  School  Churches,  and  their  Increase 
in  Membership — Progress  and  Prosperity  of  the  Country..     71 

CHAPTER    VIII. 
Indianapolis  Presbytery,  O.  S. — Changes  in  Churches — Minis- 
terial Changes — State  of  Religion — Missionary  Work — Pres- 
byterial  Authority — First  Church  of  Indianapolis — Second 
Church  of  Greencastle — Numbers 74 

CHAPTER  IX. 
Indianapolis  Presbytery,  N.  S. — New  Churches — Second  Church 
of  Indianapolis — Fourth  Church  of  Indianapolis — Green- 
wood— Ministerial  Changes — Missionary  Work — Danville, 
White  Lick,  Greencastle,  Putnamville,  Bainbridge,  Bloom- 
ington, Columbus 83 


CONTENTS.  vu 

CHAPTER    X. 
Numbers — Census  Report  of  the  Statistics  of  the  diflferent  De- 
nominations in  the  Field  of  the  Presbytery 92 

CHAPTER  XI. 
Indianapolis  Presbytery,  N.  S. — Greenfield  Church — Kingston 
and  Clarksburg — Edinburg — Sixth  Church  of  Indianapolis 
— Shelby ville — Ministerial  Changes — Progress —  Reunion — 
Adjournment  sine  die — Hendricks  County — Putnam  Ceunty 
— Bloomington — Columbus — Numbers 96 

CHAPTER  XII. 
Indianapolis  Presbytery,  0.  S. — Changes  in  Churches — Ministe- 
rial Changes — Deaths^ — State  of  the  Country — Revivals — 
Reunion — First  Church  at  Indianapolis — Seventh  Church 
at  Indianapolis — Brown.sburg  and  Clermont — Greencastle, 
Carpenters  ville,  Bloomington — Numbers 107 

CHAPTER     XIII. 
Indianapolis     Presbytery  —  Its     Boundaries,     Members     and 
Churches — Changes    in    Churches — Ministerial    Changes — 
Missionary  Work — Woman's  Presbyterial  Society — Revivals  119 


HISTORY 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS. 


CHAPTER    I 


Church  at  Bloomington — Rev.  Isaac  Reed — Bible  Society — 
First  Preaching  in  Indiana  —  First  Churches — Early 
Times — The  State  Capital  located  and  .named — Organiza- 
tion of_  Church  at  Indianapolis — Chronological  Compar- 
isons. 

1805—1823. 

The  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis  comprises  within  its 
limits  the  following  counties  :  Putnam,  Hendricks,  Ma- 
rion, Hancock,  Johnson,  Morgan,  Monroe,  Brown  and 
Bartholomew. 

The  oldest  Presbyterian  church  within  this  district  is 
that  of  Bloomington,  Monroe  county.  This  church  was 
organized  the  27th  of  September,  1819.  One  year  be- 
fore this  all  the  rest  of  the  territory  now  included  within 
the  bounds  of  the  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis,  except 
Monroe  county,  was  in  the  possession  of  the  Indians. 
At  St.  Mary's,  Ohio,  a  treaty  was  made  upon  the  3d  of 
October,  1818,  by  the  government  of  the  United  States 


2  HISTORY  OF  THE 

with  the  Delaware  Indians,  who  then  occupied  this  ter- 
ritory, b}-  which  they  transferred  it  to  the  United  States. 
In  the  treaty,  the  right  was  reserved  to  the  Indians  of 
remaining  in  the  country,  and  occupying  it  as  a  hunting 
ground  for  three  years;  after  this  they  were  to  be  re- 
moved by  the  government  of  the  United  States  to  terri- 
tory assigned  to  them  west  of  the  Mississippi.*  This 
tract  of  countr}"  purchased  from  the  Delawares  was 
called,  in  the  settlement  of  the  country,  the  Xew  Pur- 
chase, and  known  as  such. 

The  county  of  Monroe  was  partly  within  the  limits  of 
the  ISqw  Purchase  and  partly  within  the  limits  of  a  pur- 
chase made  of  the  Indians  by  General  Harrison  at  Ft. 
Wayne  in  1809  ;  a  purchase  which  was  one  of  the  chief 
causes  that  stirred  up  the  hostility  of  Tecumseh  and  his 
brother,  the  Shawnee  Prophet,  and  led  to  the  Indian 
war,  which  was  begun  with  the  battle  of  Tippecanoe, 
:N"ovember  7th,  1811. 

The  enabling  act  of  Congress  which  made  Indiana  a 
State  in  1816,  devolved  upon  James  Monroe,  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  the  duty  of  setting  apart  a 
township  of  land  for  University  purposes,  in  addition  to 
the  township  that  had  been  already  granted  to  the  Uni- 
versity of  Vincennes.  The  President  designated  for  the 
State  University  a  township  of"  land  in  what  afterwards 
became  Monroe  county.  Doubtless  this  assignment  of 
land  for  University  purposes  led  to  the  speedy  settle- 
ment and  organization  of  Monroe  county.  The  county 
of  Monroe,  which  was  previously  a  part  of  Orange 
county,  with  the  county  seat  at  Paoli,  was  organized  by 
the  Legislature  of  1818.  The  countj^  seat  was  located 
April  11th,  1818,  and  named  Bloomington.     This  was 

*  Dillon's  Indiana,  p.  575. 


PRESB  YTER  Y  OF  INDIA NAPOLIS.  3 

six  months  before  the  acquisition  of  the  New  Purchase 
from  the  Delawares. 

The  first  entrance  of  a  Presbyterian  or  Congrega- 
tional minister  within  the  boundaries  of  this  presbytery 
was,  in  all  probability,  made  in  the  fall  of  1818.  The 
Rev.  Orin  Fowler,  who  spent  a  year  in  the  State  under 
the  direction  of  the  Connecticut  Missionary  Society, 
visited  Bloomington  in  the  fall  of  1818.  Mr.  Fowler 
thus  writes  from  Carlisle,  in  Sullivan  county,  to  Rev. 
Isaac  Reed,  then  preaching  at  I^ew  Albany  :  "  I  have 
been  on  a  tour  to  Monroe  county,  (Bloomington  county 
seat),  which  was  very  fatiguing;  have  been  up  the  Wa- 
bash river  to  Fort  Harrison  (Terre  Haute),  and  preached 
in  nearly  every  neighborhood  in  these  several  direc- 
tions."* 

In  the  fall  of  1819  the  Rev.  Isaac  Reed,  who  was  then 
preaching  for  the  church  of  New  Albany,  made  a  mis- 
sionary tour  into  the  interior  of  the  State  to  distribute 
Bibles  and  to  preach.  The  Bibles,  he  says,  were  the  re- 
mains of  a  society  which  had  been  formed  at  Jefferson- 
ville  b}^  the  agency  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  J.  Mills  and  the 
Rev.  Daniel  Smith,  during  the  days  of  the  territorial 
existence  of  Indiana,  and  while  Colonel  Posey  was  Gov- 
ernor. In  1814,  SamuelJ.  Mills  and  Daniel  Smith,  under 
the  combined  patronage  of  the  Connecticut  and  Massa- 
chusetts Missionary  Societies,  made  a  journey  through 
the  States  and  Territories  of  the  southwest,  preaching 
and  organizing  Bible  and  other  benevolent  societies.  In 
November  of  this  year,  these  men  visited  St.  Louis,  and 
"  preached  the  first  sermons  ever  heard  from  ministers 
of  their  denomination  in  that  French  village."!  It  was 
to  distribute  the  Bibles  of  this  Bible  Society,  organized 

^Reed's  Christian  Traveller,  p.  97. 

fSprague's  Annals  of  the  Presbyterian  Pulpit,  Vol.  IV,  p.  506. 


4  HISTORY  OF  THE 

at  Jeffersonville  by  Samuel  J.  Mills  and  his  colaborer, 
Daniel  Smith,  and  to  preach  the  gospel  "  in  the  regions 
beyond,"  that  the  Rev.  Isaac  Reed  made,  in  the  fall  of 
1819,  a  missionary  t()nr  "  as  far  as  to  the  frontier  coun- 
ties of  Monroe  and  Owen."  By  this  thread  of  influ- 
ence, slight,  yet  real,  and  most  interesting  and  precious, 
the  organization  of  the  oldest  church  of  the  presbytery 
becomes  associated  with  the  life  and  labors  of  one 
"  whose  praise  is  in  all  the  churches,"  and  to  whom  is 
largely  due  the  organization  both  of  the  American 
Board  of  Missions  and  the  American  Bible  Society. 

The  church  at  Bloomington  was  "  the  first  church," 
says  Mr.  Reed,  "  formed  by  my  ministry."*  Mr.  Reed 
became  a  veteran  missionary,  and  probably  organized 
more  churches  in  the  State  than  any  other  man.f 

The  first  record  we  have  of  a  Presbyterian  minister 
preaching  within  the  limits  of  Indiana,  is  of  Thomas 
Cleland,  of  Kentucky.  In  the  Life  of  Dr.  Cleland  we 
find  the  following : 

"  Transylvania  Presbytery  had  no  definite  limits  in  a 
southern  direction  ;  it  also  included  Indiana,  etc.,  on 
the  north.  In  the  spring  of  1805  I  was  directed  to  visit 
Vincennes  and  the  adjoining  regions.  It  was  an  unin- 
habited route  I  had  to  go.  A  small  wilderness  trace, 
with  only  one  residence  on  the  way,  in  the  most  desti- 
tute part  of  the  way,  to  entertain  me  during  the  night. 
Here  was  my  poor  animal  tied  to  a  tree,  fed  with  the 
grain  packed  in  a  wallet  from  Louisville,  and  myself 
stretched  on  the  puncheon  floor  of  a  small  cabin,  for  the 
night's  rest.  All  passed  off",  however,  without  any  det- 
riment or  discomfort.  The  next  evening  made  up  for 
all  previous  privations.     I  was  welcomed  and  agreeably 

*Christian  Traveller,  p.  93. 

^Historical  Discourse,  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Johnston. 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  & 

entertained  at  the  Governor's  palace  during  my  stay  in 
Vincennes.  The  late  William  Henry  Harrison,  then  a 
young  man,  with  a  Presbyterian  wife,  was  Governor  of 
the  Indiana  Territory,  as  it  then  was.  He  had  recently 
held  a  treaty  with  a  certain  tribe  of  Indians,  who  as- 
sembled at  Vincennes. 

"  The  first  sermon  I  preached — and  it  was  the  first 
ever  preached  in  the  place,  at  least  by  a  Presbyterian 
minister — was  in  the  council  house,  but  a  short  time 
before  occupied  by  the  sons  of  the  forest.  I  preached 
also  in  a  settiement  twenty  miles  up  the  "Wabash,  where 
were  a  few  Presbyterian  families,  chiefly  from  Shelby 
-county,  Kentucky."* 

It  is  possible  that  in  Clarke  county,  which  Governor 
Harrison  established  by  proclamation  February  3,  1801, 
there  may  have  been  preaching,  either  by  some  Presby- 
terian or  other  minister,  earlier  than  the  time  mentioned 
by  Mr.  Cleland,  when  he  preached  at  Vincennes. 

Id  the  Minutes  of  the  General  Assembly  for  1805,  we 
find  that  about  the  time  Cleland  is  threading  his  way 
through  the  wilderness  to  Vincennes,  Mr.  Thomas  Wil- 
liamson, a  licentiate  of  the  Second  Presbytery  of  South 
Carolina,  is  appointed  to  spend  three  months  in  mission- 
ary services,  ''  in  the  lower  parts  of  the  State  of  Ohio, 
and  in  the  Indian  Territory  as  low  as  Kaskaskia." 

By  Indian  Territory  in  this  minute  of  the  Assembly 
we  must  understand  Indiana  Territory,  which  was  or- 
ganized in  1800,  and  embraced  all  the  territory  of  the 
country  west  of  Ohio,  and  north  of  the  Ohio  river. 
When,  in  1803,  the  Lousiana  purchase  was  made,  all  of 
the  territory  west  of  the  Mississippi,  and  as  far  south  as 
the  southern  boundary  of  Arkansas,  was  added  to  the 

*  Life  of  Dr.  Cleland — Moore  Wilstach,  Keys  &  Co.,  Cincinnati, 
1869,  p.  87. 


b  HISTORY  OF  THE 

territorial  government  of  Indiana.  In  1805,  the  terri- 
torial governments  of  Missouri  and  of  Michigan  were 
organized.  But  it  was  not  until  1809,  that  the  Territory 
of  Illinois  was  established  by  detaching  from  the  Ter- 
ritory of  Indiana  the  country  which  is  now  embraced 
in  the  States  of  Illinois  and  "Wisconsin,  and  that  part  of 
Minnesota  which  lies  east  of  the  Mississippi.  In  the 
Minutes  of  the  Assembly  for  1806,  we  lind  this  resolu- 
tion :  "  That  Mr.  Samuel  Scott,  of  the  Presbytery  of 
"West  Lexington,  be  a  Missionary  for  three  months,  in  the 
Indiana  Territory,  and  especially  at  "Vincennes." 

In  Mr.  Dickey's  Brief  History,  this  is  the  year  of 
the  date  of  the  organization  of  the  Indiana  church,  the 
first  Presbyterian  church  organized  in  Indiana  The 
second  church  organized,  was  one  in  the  vicinity  of 
Charlestown,  Clarke  county,  called  Palmyra.  It  was  con- 
stituted in  1807,  by  the  Rev.  James  "Vance,  with  about 
twelve  or  fifteen  members.  When  the  Charlestown 
church  was  organized,  in  1812,  the  Palmyra  church  had 
become  almost  extinct,  and  the  few  remaining  members 
were  embodied  in  the  Charlestown  church.  The 
Charlestown  church  was  thus  the  third  church  organ- 
ized in  Indiana.  The  fourth  was  that  of  Washington, 
Daviess  county,  with  seventeen  members,  in  1814.  The 
fifth,  that  of  Madison,  with  fifteen  or  twenty  members, 
in  1815.  The  sixth,  that  of  Salem,  in  Washington 
county,  in  1816.  The  seventh,  that  of  Blue  Piver,  in 
Washington  county,  with  seven  members,  in  1816.  The 
eighth,  that  of  Pisgah,  in  Clarke  county,  with  fifteen 
members,  in  1816.  The  ninth,  that  of  Graham,  in  Jen- 
nings county,  with  seventeen  members,  in  1817.  The 
tenth,  that  of  New  Albany,  with  ten  members,  in  1817. 
The  eleventh,  that  of  Hopewell,  in  Sullivan  county,  in 
1817.     The  twelfth,  that  of  Jefifersonville  in  Jefferson 


PRESB  YTER  Y  OF  IXDIA XAPOLLS.  7 

couuty,  with  fourteeu  members,  in  1818.  The  thirteenth, 
that  of  New  Lexington,  Scott  county,  with  twenty  mem- 
bers, in  1818.  The  fourteenth,  that  of  Corydon,  with 
seven  members,  in  1819.  The  fifteenth,  that  of  Carlisle, 
in  Sullivan  county,  with  nine  members,  in  1819. 

The  church  at  Bloomington  was  the  sixteenth  Pres- 
byterian church  organized  in  the  new  and  growing 
State.  It  consisted  at  its  organization,  of  nine  persons, 
Henry  Kirkham,  Mary  Kirkham,  Dr.  David  H.  Max- 
well, Mary  Dunn  Maxwell,  John  Ketcham,  Elizabeth 
Ketcham,  Elizabeth  Anderson,  Elizabeth  Lucus  and 
Patsy  Baugh.  Of  these  persons,  Dr.  David  H.  Maxwell 
and  John  Ketcham  were,  during  their  lives,  prominent 
and  influential  citizens.  They  both  took  an  active  part 
in  the  Indian  war  that  begun  with  the  battle  of  Tippe- 
canoe. Their  families  were  obliged  to  seek  shelter  in 
forts.  Ketcham's  fort,  in  Jackson  county,  the  region 
of  country  in  which  he  had  first  settled  when  he  came 
from  Kentucky  into  Indiana,  was  considered  far  out 
from  the  settlements,  and  greatly  exposed  to  the  savages. 
The  fort  itself  was  never  attacked  by  the  Indians,  though 
invested  one  night  by  a  party,  who  succeeded  in  driving 
off  the  horses  belonging  to  those  in  the  fort.  Ketcham 
and  a  comrade,  on  an  errand  to  a  neighboring  farm, 
were  waylaid  by  the  Indians,  and  Ketcham  received  two 
severe  gun-shot  wounds,  and  his  comrade  was  killed. 
In  a  scouting  party  under  Gen.  Bartholeraew,  he  is  again 
in  imminent  peril.  Again  a  comrade  falls  at  his  side, 
fatally  wounded,  and  he  escapes  only  by  being  quicker 
with  the  fatal  aim  of  his  rifle  than  the  savage  foe,  who 
has  singled  him  out  for  his  victim. 

It  was  in  April,  1818,  that  John  Ketcham  moved  to 
Monroe  county.  He  built  the  first  mill  that  was  built 
in  the  county.     The  meal  his  family   used  while   the 


8  HISTORY  OF  THE 

mill  was  built,  was  prepared  by  a  hand  mill,  the  only 
kind  at  the  time  in  the  county.  He  was,  in  time,  hon- 
ored with  a  Colonelcy  of  the  State  Militia,  because  of  the 
reputation  he  had  gained  in  the  Indian  war.  He  be- 
came an  associate  Judge,  and  served  several  times  as 
Representative  in  the  Legislature.  He  died  February 
7th,  1865,  at  the  age  of  eighty-three. 

Dr.  David  H.  Maxwell,  moved  to  Bloomington  in  the 
spring  of  1819.  He  was  much  in  public  life.  He  was 
a  member  from  Jefferson  county  of  the  Convefttion  of 
1816,  which  framed  the  constitution  with  which  Indiana, 
in  December,  1*816,  was  admitted  as  a  State  into  the 
Federal  Union.  He  was  the  mover  in  the  convention 
of  the  clause  in  the  constitution,  which  prohibited 
Slavery,  for  the  introduction  of  which,  into  the  new 
State,  as  shown  in  Dillon's  History  of  Indiana,  strong 
and  persistent  efforts  had  been  made.  Dr.  Maxwell  fre- 
quently represented  the  county  of  Monroe  in  the  Legis- 
lature, and  was  the  eighth  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives. He  was  for  twenty-five  years  a  member 
of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  State  University,  and 
almost  constantly  the  President  of  that  Board.  He  was 
elected  an  elder  of  the  church  in  June,  1823,  and  served 
the  church  as  such  until  his  death  in  May,  1854,  at  the 
age  of  sixty -eight. 

Of  the  original  members  of  the  church  of  Blooming- 
ton,  two  still  survive,  Mrs.  Mary  Dunn  Maxwell,  the 
widow  of  Dr.  D.  H.  Maxwell,  and  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Ketch- 
am,  the  widdow  of  Col.  John  Ketcham.  Mrs.  Maxwell 
was  born  in  March,  1788,  one  year  before  the  adoption 
of  the  Federal  Constitution.  Mrs.  Ketcham  was  born  in 
Rockingham  county,  Virginia,  November  27th,  1781,  six 
weeks  after  the  surrender  of  Cornwallis  at  Yorktown. 
Uniting  with  the  church  when  about  twenty  years  of 


PRESB  YTER  Y  OF  INDIA  NA  POL  IS.  9 

age,  she  has  been  a  member  of  the  church  militant  for 
seventy-five  years,  and  in  faith  and  hope,  is  waiting  for 
her  admission  into  the  church  triumphant.* 

The  church  at  Bloomington  was  organized  in  the 
Court  House,  a  log  building  erected  for  temporary  use, 
and  of  which  a  pen  photograph  remains  in  the  contract 
for  its  erection,  now  to  be  found  in  the  records  of  the 
county.  It  was,  according  to  the  terms  of  the  contract, 
to  be  built  after  the  manner  of  double  cabins,  the  first 
ten  feet  square,  and  the  second,  twelve  by  twenty,  built 
ten  feet  apart,  with  an  entry  between.  It  was  to  be  ten 
feet  high,  of  round  logs,  all  to  be  neatly  butted,  then 
hewed  inside  and  out;  the  whole  to  be  covered  under 
one  roof  with  four  courses  of  boards  on  each  side;  the 
floors  to  be  out  of  half  timber,  well  hewed  and  jointed, 
and  two  and  a  half  inches  thick  when  they  lay  on  the 
sleepers ;  one  door  (doorway)  in  each  apartment  of  said 
house,  with  one  window  in  the  largest,  the  doors  to  be 
fronting  the  entry,  and  shutters  made  to  all  and  hung 
on  good  wooden  hinges,  the  house  to  be  chinked  with 
short  blocks,  after  the  manner  with  stone,  and  well 
daubed  inside  and  out  and  made  smooth. 

The  dwellings  of  Bloomington  were  in  harmony  with 
its  court  house.  They  were  log  cabins,  and  dense  for- 
ests occupied  most  of  its  streets  and  lots.  In  this  same 
year  Fort  Wayne  was  vacated  by  the  United  States 
Government  as  a  frontier  military  post,  and  it  was  left  a 
small  trading  post  for  bartering  with  the  Indians  for 
their  peltries,  the  same  purpose  for  which  it  had  been 
first  occupied  by  the  French  more  than  a  hundred  years 
before. 

In  1810,  the  population  of  the  Territory  of  Indiana  was 

*  Mrs.  Ketcham,  since  the  above  was  written,  has  entered  into 
rest,  departing  this  life  on  Sabbath  morning,  July  9th,  1876. 


10  HISTORIC  OF  THE 

24,520.  But  the  streams  of  immigration  were  beginniug 
to  flow  in  rapidly  upon  the  new  country,  and  a  commit- 
tee had  been  appointed  by  the  Legislative  Council  to 
locate  a  permanent  Capital  for  the  State.  This  Council 
also  petitioned  Congress  for  permission  to  locate  a  cer- 
tain quantity  of  the  public  lands  "  lying  on  the  main 
fork  of  White  River,"  for  this  permanent  seat  of  gov- 
ernment. The  war  with  the  Indians  hindered  the  con- 
summation of  this  work  begun  by  the  Legislative  Council. 
In  the  enabling  act  of  Congress  for  the  organization  of 
the  State,  four  sections  of  unsold  land  were  donated  for 
a  permanent  Capital.  In  January,  1820,  a  committee 
was  appointed  by  the  legislature  to  fix  the  location  of 
the  State  Capital.  They  located  it  in  June  of  the  same 
year.  On  the  6th  of  January,  1821,  the  Legislature  con- 
firmed the  action  of  their  commissioners,  and  on  motion 
of  Judge  Jeremiah  Sullivan,  of  Madison,  afterwards,  if 
not  at  the  time,  an  elder  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  the 
newly  established  Capital  received  its  name,  Indianapolis. 
In  the  spring  of  the  same  year,  1821,  in  which  the  Cap- 
ital was  located,  the  man,  who  but  two  years  before  was 
the  first  settler  in  the  vicinity  of  Indianapolis,  was  mur- 
dered by  the  Indians  upon  the  place  upon  which  he  had 
settled,  and  the  horses  he  had  owned  were  driven  off  by 
them. 

In  the  course  of  a  few  months  after  the  location  of 
the  Capital,  a  population  of  some  hundreds  gathered 
upon  the  site  of  the  future  city.  For  this  population, 
flour  and  meal  were  packed  on  horses  through  a  path- 
less wilderness  from  the  White  Water  settlement  at  Con- 
nersville,  a  distance  of  sixty  miles.  This  was  necessary 
for  several  reasons.  The  season  was  an  exceedingly  wet 
one,  and  malignant  fever  and  ague  so  prostrated  the  in- 
habitants of  the  new  settlement,  that  they  were  unable 


rRESB  YTER  Y  OF  INDIA  NAPOLJS.  1 1 

to  tend  the  coru  which  had  been  phanted,  and  which 
choked  by  the  rank  growth  of  weeds,  had  brought  no 
fruit  to  perfection.  Indianapolis  was  not  destined  to  a 
rapid  growth  in  its  early  days.  George  Stephenson  had 
not  yet  succeeded  in  securing  the  device  for  rapid  trav- 
elling by  railway,  though  working  ver}^  earnestly  and 
hopefully  for  it.  Indianapolis,  before  the  days  of  rail- 
roads, was  too  inaccessible  a  point  for  rapid  growth. 
The  first  sale  of  city  lots  occurred  in  October,  1821.  In 
1831,  three-fourths  of  the  town  site  and  donation  of  the 
government  remained  unsold.  Among  the  names  of  the 
first  arrivals  of  citizens  after  the  locatian  of  the  Capital 
of  the  State,  are  the  names  of  Dr  Isaac  Coe,  Caleb 
Scudder,  James  Blake  and  James  M.  Ray,  names  that 
will  ever  be  held  in  honored  remembrance  in  the  history 
of  the  Presbyterian  church  in  Indianapolis. 

It  is  a  matter  of  record,  that  the  Rev.  Ludlow  G. 
Gaines,  of  Ohio,  a  missionary  of  the  General  Assembly, 
preached  in  a  grove  upon  the  site  of  Indianapolis,  sev- 
eral months  before  the  lots  now  covered  by  the  city  had 
been  offered  for  sale.  The  first  settlers  of  the  new  city 
had  the  gospel  preached  to  them  only  when  some  travel- 
ling minister,  overtaken  by  the  Sabbath,  paused  in  his 
journey.  This  lack  of  gospel  privilege,  it  is  said,  was 
rapidly  tending  to  obliterate  the  distinction  between  the 
Sabbath  and  other  days.  One  among  the  settlers  be- 
came deeply  engaged  in  finding  means  to  arrest  the 
growing  desecration.  This  was  Dr.  Isaac  Coe.  His  first 
effort  was  to  organize  a  Bible  class  of  Christian  people. 
This  class  first  met  February  20th,  1822.  A  Sabbath 
school  was  organized  April  6th,  1823.  It  was  adver- 
tised in  the  Indianapolis  Gazette,  as  the  Indianapolis 
Sabbath  School.  So  it  was  for  five  years,  the  Indian- 
apolis Sabbath  School,  the  only  one.     It  was  organized 


12  HISTORY  OF  THE 

with  thirty  scholars,  its  numbers  increasing  during  the 
year  to  ninety-eight,  with  an  average  attendance  of 
forty.  James  M.  Ray  was  its  first  Superintendent,  al- 
though he  was  not  yet  a  member  of  the  church.  Like- 
wise, James  Blake,  an  active  co-laborer  in  the  Sabbath 
School,  and  in  all  the  outward  work  of  the  church,  was 
not  yet  a  member  of  the  church.  It  was  in  a  revival 
in  1830,  that  these  men  became  by  profession  of  their 
faith,  members  of  the  church. 

The  Rev.  David  C.  Proctor,  a  missionary  under  the 
•direction  of  the  Connecticut  Missionary  Society,  entered 
the  State  late  in  the  fall  of  1821.  In  the  fall  of  1822, 
although  there  was  yet  no  church  organization  at  Indi- 
anapolis, arrangements, were  made  with  him  to  preach 
three-fourths  of  his  time  at  Indianapolis,  while  every 
fourth  Sabbath  he  preached  to  the  little  church  at 
Bloomington.  Thus  the  way  was  prepared  for  the  or- 
ganization of  the  Presb^'terian  church  at  Indianapolis. 
The  church  was  organized  July  5th,  1823,  in  Caleb 
Scudder's  cabinet  shop,  the  same  place  in  which  the 
Sabbath  School  had  been  organized.  The  Rev.  Isaac 
Reed,  who  in  the  fall  of  1822  had  moved  to  Owen  coun- 
ty, writes  in  his  Christian  Traveller: 

"  My  first  visit  to  Indianapolis  was  through  many 
perils  of  waters  by  the  way,  in  company  with  Mr.  Proc- 
tor, the  3d  of  July.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  4th,  I 
preached  to  the  Presbyterian  friends  at  a  cabinet  ma- 
ker's shop ;  and  at  the  same  place,  on  the  morning  of 
the  5th,  I  preached  as  moderator  in  the  formation  of  the 
church  of  Indianapolis.  The  same  day  two  other  min- 
isters arrived.  The  next  day  was  the  Sabbath,  and  there 
were  four  ministers  with  this  new  formed  church.  The 
church  was  organized  with  fifteen  members.  Dr.  Isaac 
Coe  and  Caleb  Scudder  were  elected  elders.     A  church 


PRESBYTERY  01  INDIANAPOLIS.  13 

edifice  had  been  begun  in  May  before  the  organization 
of  the  church,  and  was  so  far  completed  that  it  was  oc- 
cupied at  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  on  the 
Sabbath,  the  next  day  after  the  organization  of  the 
church." 

The  building  committee  that  carried  through  'the 
erection  of  this  edifice,  were  Dr.  Isaac  Coe,  James  Blake, 
and  Daniel  Yandes.  This  church  building  was  thirty- 
four  feet  by  fifty-four.  Its  cost  was  fifteen  hundred  dol- 
lars.    The  cost  of  the  lot  was  one  hundred  dollars. 

CHRONOLOGICAL    COMPARISONS. 

This  church  building  was  erected  on  the  frontiers.  Only 
a  hundred  years  before  this  the  foundations  of  the  first 
Presbyterian  church  building  in  the  city  of  New  York 
had  been  laid,  a  building  sixty  by  eighty  feet,  on  Wall 
street,  near  Broadway,  and  although  contributions  for  the 
building  were  solicited  and  obtained  in  Connecticut  and 
Massachusetts,  from  the  infant  church  in  Philadelphia, 
and  also  from  Scotland,  yet  for  twenty  years  the  church 
strug-gled  on  in  poverty,  assembling  in  a  house  without 
galleries,  six  out  of  its  eight  windows  being  closed  with 
boards,  poverty  preventing  their  being  glazed,  and  the 
fraction  of  light  being  enough  for  the  handful  of  peo- 
ple.* The  churches  of  Cincinnati  and  Louisville  had 
been  organized  sometime  before  the  church  at  Indiana- 
polis. Cincinnati  had  been  laid  out  in  1789,  its  first 
Presbyterian  church  organized  in  1790,  and  its  first 
Presbyterian  church  edifice  erected  in  1792.  Louisville 
had  been  laid  out  still  earlier.  In  1780  the  legislature 
of  Virginia  passed  "An  act  for  the  establishing  the  town 
of  Louisville,  at  the  falls  of  the  Ohio,"  naming  the  town 
in  honor  of  Louis  XVI.,  whose  troops  were  then  aiding 

*  Webster's  History  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  pp.  120,  329. 


14  HISTORY  OF  THE 

the  Americans  in  the  war  of  Independence.  The  first 
Presbyterian  church  in  Louisville  was  organized  in  1816, 
and  its  iirst  church  edifice  erected  in  1816.  At  the  time" 
of  the  organization  of  the  Presbyterian  church  at  Indi- 
anapolis, the  Rev.  Gideon  Blackburn  had  just  been  set- 
tled as  pastor  over  the  Presbyterian  church  at  Louisville. 
In  the  spring  of  1823,  the  presbytery  of  Louisville  re- 
ported to  the  General  Assembly  eleven  ministers^  thirty- 
five  churches,  and  nine  hundred  and  ten  church  mem- 
bers. Of  tbese  thirty-five  churches,  twenty -four  were 
in  Indiana,  the  church  of  Indianapolis  being  the  twenty- 
sixth  organization  of  that  large  portion  of  the  State, 
which  was  included  within  the  bounds  of  the  presbytery 
of  Louisville. 

At  this  time,  July,  1823,  the  Presbyterian  church  at 
St.  Louis  was  still  without  a  church  edifice.  A  Presby- 
terian church,  consisting  of  nine  members,  had  been 
organized  by  the  Rev.  Salmon  Giddings  in  St.  Louis  in 
November,  1817.  A  brick  church  building,  forty  by 
sixty  feet,  was  commenced  in  1823,  but  was  not  finished 
and  dedicated  until  June,  1825.  Its  cost  was  eight  thou- 
sand dollars.  The  debt  upon  it,  it  is  said,  was  reduced 
in  1826,  by  contributions  and  proceeds  of  sale  of  pews, 
to  five  thousand  dollars.*  In  Detroit,  on  the  5th  of 
August,  1816,  an  informal  organization  of  citizens  of 
Protestant  faith  was  effected  by  Rev.  John  Monteith,  a 
missionary  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian 
church.  In  1819,  a  church  edifice  was  erected  at  a  cost 
of  seven  thousand  dollars,  more  than  eleven  hundred 
having  been  obtained  by  the  solicitation  abroad  of  funds. 
In  January,  1825,  the  church,  consisting  of  forty-nine 
members,  was  reorganized,  adopting  Articles  of  Faith, 

*Sprague's  Annals,  Vol.  IV,  p.  507. 


PBESB  YTER  Y  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  1 5 

which  fully  committed  the  society  to  the  Presbyterian 
doctrines  and  form  of  government.* 

It  was  not  until  ten  years  after  the  organization  of  the 
church  of  Indianapolis,  (in  June,)  1833,  that  the  first 
Presbyterian  church  of  Chicago  was  organized,  with 
twenty-five  members ;  sixteen  of  these  members  of  the 
garrison  of  Fort  Dearborn,  and  nine  citizens  of  the  new 
city  which  had  been  laid  out  three  years  before.  The 
Rev.  fleremiah  Porter,  who  came  with  troops  from  Green 
Bay  to  Chicago  in  May,  1833,  organized  the  church. 
Its  first  edifice  for  worship  was  a  frame,  twenty-six  by 
forty,  and  was  opened  for  worship  January  Ist,  1834. 

*  Manual  of  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Detroit. 


16  HISTORY  OF  THE 


CHAPTER   II. 

Louhville  and  Salem  Presbyteries — Indianapolis  as  a  Mis- 
sionary Field — First  Ordination  in  the  State — Ordination 
and  Installation  at  Bloomington — Organization  of  Churches 
at  Columbus,  Franklin,  Greencastle  and  Greenwood — 
Presbytery  of  Wabash — Synod  of  Indiana — Difficulties 
with  Mr.  Bush — Presbytery  of  Crawfordsville — Difficulties 
in  Presbytery — Difficulties  Allayed. 

1823—1830. 

In  1815,  upon  petition  of  the  Synod  of  Ohio,  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  made  the  Ohio  river  the  dividing  line 
between  the  synods  of  Ohio  and  Kentucky.  This  placed 
Indiana  Territory  within  the  boundaries  of  Miami  pres- 
bytery. In  1817,  upon  petition  of  the  Louisville  Presby- 
tery, it  was  granted  by  the  General  Assembly  that  so 
much  of  the  Synod  of  Ohio  as  was  west  of  a  line 
drawn  due  north  from  the  mouth  of  Kentucky  river, 
should  be  attached  to  the  Synod  of  Kentucky.  In  Octo- 
ber, 1823,  the  Synod  of  Kentucky  constituted  all  that 
part  of  its  territory  lying  within  the  boundaries  of  the 
State  of  Indiana  into  a  new  presbytery,  denominated  the 
Salem  Presbytery.  In  October,  1824,  the  synod  added 
to  this  presbytery  all  that  part  of  the  State  of  Illinois 
which  is  north  of  a  line  running  due  west  from  the 
mouth  of  White  river.  At  the  same  time,  that  part  of 
the  State  which  lies  south  and  west  of  a  line  beginning 
at  the  mouth  of  Green  river,  running  due  north  twenty 


PRESS  YTER  Y  OF  INDIA NA  POLIS.  17 

miles,  thence   north-westward  to  the  mouth  of  White 
river,  "^as  attached  to  the  Presbytery  of  Muhlenburg. 

INDIANAPOLIS    AS    A    MISSIONARY    FIELD. 

In  the  fall  of  1823,  the  Rev.  D.  C.  Proctor  removed  to 
Kentucky,  "From  this  time,"  writes  the  Eev.  Isaac 
Reed,  then  preaching  to  the  Bethany  church,  in  Owen 
county,  "  the  particular  care  of  the  church  of  Blooming- 
ton  and  of  Indianapolis  fell  upon  me,  and  neither  sacra- 
ments nor  baptism  were  administered  in  either  except 
by  my  ministry,  until  the  arrival  of  Rev.  Mr.  Bush,  at 
the  latter  place,  in  the  summer  of  1824,  and  of  Mr.  Hall 
at  Bloomingtou,  near  the  same  time."  * 

While  Mr.  Reed  was  thus,  through  the  latter  part  of 
1823  and  the  first  half  of  1824,  supplying  the  church  at 
Indianapolis,  he  wrote  thus  of  it  to  the  United  Domestic 
Missionary  Society,  a  society  which  in  1826  became 
merged  with  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society : 
"  Indianapolis,  the  new  and  permanent  seat  of  govern- 
ment for  the  State,  is  a  place  of  great  need  and  high 
hope  for  a  located  missionary.  I  was  lately  there,  and 
the  session  of  the  church  showed  me  a  written  resolution 
of  their  society,  which  they  design  to  forward  to  you. 
This  resolution  requests  the  location  of  a  missionary 
there.  I  encouraged  them  to  forward  it.  There  are 
many  reasons  why  this  location  should  be  made.  A 
church  is  commenced  there,  which  has  eighteen  mem- 
bers, four  of  them  are  male  persons.  A  meeting-house 
is  built,  at  least  raised  and  covered  in.  The  congrega- 
tion is  willing  to  raise  for  your  missionary  two  hundred 
dollars  a  year.  There  is  a  little  Baptist  church  and  a 
little  Methodist  society ;  and  there  is  no  church  of  our 
order  near  enough  to  unite  with  these  to  obtain  a  minis- 

*  Christian  Traveller,  p.  145. 
2 


18  HISTORY  OF   THE 

ter ;  the  nearest  is  fifty-two  miles.  It  is  thought  by  the 
session,  if  they  can  have  a  missionary  for  one  yoar,  they 
can  support  him  after  that  time,  they  have  such  pros- 
pects from  those  who  are  expected  to  move  there  within 
a  year.  Now  they  look  to  you,  brethren,  to  appoint 
them  one;  and  he  ought  to  be  there  as  soon  as  possible. 
They  w^ant  a  man  of  such  talents  as  are  favorable  to  col- 
lecting and  embodying  society ;  one  who  would  be 
willing  to  become  settled.  He  should  appropriate  his 
Sabbaths  to  the  town,  and  have  week  day  appoint- 
ments all  about  that  part  of  the  country."  *  This 
communication  of  Mr.  Reed  to  the  United  Domestic 
Missionary  Society  was  published  in  their  report  for  1825. 

In  March,  1824,  the  session  of  the  church  at  Indianap- 
olis wrote  to  Mr.  George  Bush,  a  licentiate  of  the  Pres- 
bytery of  New  Brunswick,  to  secure  his  services  as 
their  minister.  Mr.  Bush  came  to  Indianapolis  July  9, 
1824,  as  a  missionary  of  the  Assembly.  September  18^ 
1824,  he  was  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  church  upon 
a  salary  of  three  hundred  dollars,  and  as  much  more  as 
they  could  raise. 

In  January,  1825,  the  legislature  met  at  the  new  capi- 
tal for  the  first  time.  The  State  ofiices  had  been  trans- 
ferred from  Corydon  to  Indianapolis  in  the  November 
preceding. 

FIRST    ORDINATION    IN    THE    STATE. 

On  the  4th  of  March,  1825,  a  called  meeting  of  the 
Presbytery  of  Salem  was  held  in  Indianapolis.  At  this 
meeting  of  the  presbytery  Mr.  Bush  was  received,  and 
also  Mr.  Baynard  Rush  Hall,  a  licentiate  of  the  Presby- 
tery of  Philadelphia.  The  next  day  Mr.  Bush  was 
ordained   and   installed   as   pastor  of  the   Presbyterian 

*  Christian  Traveller,  p.  165. 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  19 

church  of  Indianapolis.  This  was  the  first  ordination  of 
a  Presbyterian  minister  in  the  State.  The  church  build- 
ing being  still  unfinished,  the  ordination  and  installation 
took  place  in  the  building  that  was  used  for  the  State 
capitol,  a  large  brick  court  house.  The  Rev.  John  F. 
Crowe  preached  the  ordination  sermon.  The  Rev.  John 
M.  Dicke}'  presided  and  gave  the  charge  to  the  pastor, 
and  the  Moderator  of  Presbytery,  the  Rev.  Isaac  Reed, 
gave  the  charge  to  the  people. 

ORDINATION    AND    INSTALLATION    AT    BLOOMINGTON. 

At  an  adjourned  meeting  of  the  presbytery  at  Bloom- 
iugton  on  the  12th  of  the  following  April,  Baynard  R. 
Hall,  who  had  charge  of  the  State  Seminary  at  Bloom- 
ington,  was  ordained  and  installed  pastor  of  the  church 
at  Bloomington.  As  the  church  at  Bloomington  had  no 
edifice,  the  ordination  and  installation  services  took 
place  in  the  State  Seminary  building.  The  Rev.  Isaac 
Reed  preached  the  ordination  sermon.  The  Rev.  W. 
W.  Martin  presided  and  gave  the  charge  to  the  pastor ; 
and  the  Rev*.  John  M.  Dickey  gave  the  charge  to  the 
people.  The  sermon  was  from  II  Corinthians  5 :  18. 
<'And  hath  given  to  us  the  ministry  of  reconciliation," 
The  sermon  was  published. 

The  church  at  Bloomington,  besides  having  had  Mr. 
Proctor  to  preach  for  them  one-fourth  of  his  time  du- 
ring one  year,  had  had  previous  to  that  occasional  mis- 
sionary supplies.  Among  these  had  been  W.  W.  Martin, 
from  Livonia,  Francis  McFarland,  a  missionary  of  the 
Assembly,  and  Archibald  Cameron,  of  Shelbyville,  Ken- 
tucky. In  the  fall  of  1822,  the  Rev.  C.  C.  Beattie,  now 
of  Steubenville,  Ohio,  then  laboring  in  the  Wabash  val- 
ley as  a  missionary  of  the  Assembly's  Board  of  Missions, 
preached  in  Bloomington,  also   in  the  spring  of  1823. 


20  HISTORY  OF  THE 

At  the  time  of  Mr.  Hall's  settlement  the  church  had  ia- 
creased  to  a  membership  of  thirty.  A  Sabbath  school 
was  organized  in  1823,  and  has  been  held  every  Sabbath 
morning  since. 

COLUMBUS. 

The  third  church  organized  within  the  present  limits 
of  the  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis,  was  the  church  at 
Columbus.  This  was  organized-  by  Rev.  John  M. 
Dickey,  July  3, 1824.  It  consisted  of  eighteen  members. 
Mr.  Joseph  Hart  was  the  first  ruling  elder.  Bartholo- 
mew county  had  been  organized  in  1821,  and  Columbus 
was  laid  out  and  made  the  county  seat  the  same  year. 
In  1824,  the  population  of  the  county  was  2,690.  The 
population  of  Marion  county  at  this  time  was  about  the 
same.  That  of  Monroe  county  at  the  same  time  was 
3,400. 

The  church  of  Columbus,  it  is  said,*  existed  many 
years  before  it  had  any  settled  pastor,  or  even  regular 
preaching.  Mr.  Dickey,  who  organized  it,  supplied  it 
at  an  early  day,  one  Sabbath  a  month  for  six  months. 
For  many  years,  once  each  year,  he  held  meetings  for 
several  days,  including  the  Sabbath,  baptized  children? 
received  members  to  the  church,  and  administered  the 
communion. 

FRANKLIN. 

November  30th,  1824,  the  church  of  Franklin,  John- 
son county,  was  organized  by  Rev.  John  M.  Dickey. 
The  church  was  constituted  with  the  following  five 
members :  George  King,  Joseph  Young,  David  W. 
McCaslin,  Elenor  King  and  Nancy  Young.  George 
King  and  David  W.  McCaslin,  were  chosen  elders,  and 
after  a  sermon  by  the  Rev.  George  Bush,  they  were  or- 

*  Historical  Discourse  of  Rev.  N.  S.  Dickey. 


PRESBYrEBY  OF  INDIANAPOLLS.  21 

<3ained  to  the  office  of  ruling  elder.  The  session  then 
received  Jane  McCaslin,  a  member  of  the  church  on  ex- 
amination. 

Johnson  county  was  organized  in  1822.  The  popula- 
tion of  the  county  in  1824  was  910.  The  Franklin 
church  was  the  fourth  church  organized  within  the  pres- 
ent boundaries  of  the  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis. 

GREENCASTLE. 

The  church  at  Greencastle,  the  county  seat  of  Put- 
nam county,  was  organized  with  twelve  members,  by 
the  Rev.  Isaac  Reed,  August  12th,  1826.  Putnam  coun- 
ty was  organized  the  last  day  of  the  year,  1821.  In 
1824,  it  had  a^-population  of  1,700.  Yet,  in  1825,  from 
Oreencastle  west,  along  one  of  the  main  routes  to  Illi- 
nois, there  was  a  stretch  of  dense  forest  unbroken  for 
seventeen  miles,  save  by  one  hut  and  its  adjacent  clear- 
ing. "  To  form  this  church,"  writes  Mr.  Reed,  "required 
much  previous  labor  in  preaching,  visiting  and  traveling." 

GREENWOOD. 

On  the  last  day  of  the  year  1825,  the  Rev.  Isaac  Reed 
organized  another  church  in  Johnson  county.  It  was 
the  Greenwood  church,  then  called  Greenfield.  It  was 
organized  with  nine  members.  The  formation  of  the 
church  was  effected  just  two  years  and  three  months 
after  the  arrival  of  the  first  two  families  in  the  settle- 
ment. The  day  after  this  church  was  organized  was 
both  New  Year's  day  and  Sabbath  day.  A  sermon  was 
preached,  which  was  afterwards  published  with  this  title: 
"  The  Foundation  Stone,"  1  Cor.  iii:  2.  Tlie  sermon, 
when  printed,  was  dedicated  to  the  Rev.  Thomas  Cle- 
land,  D.  D.,  of  Kentucky,  in  these  words: 

Every  member,  sir,  of  the  Greenfield  church,  has  come  from  your 
bounds,  and  has  been  a  worshipper  in  one  or  the  other  of  your  con 


22  HISTORY  OF  THE 

gregations.  This  fact,  together  with  my  long  acquaintance  with 
and  friendship  for  you,  as  a  man,  a  christian,  a  gospel  minister,  and 
your  pen  having  so  often  and  so  ably  moved  in  defence  of  that 
fundamental  doctrine,  which  is  the  subject  of  the  sermon,  are  my 
apology  for  using  your  name  in  this  dedication. 

[Signed,]  Isaac  Reed. 

Cottage  of  Peace,  February  3d,  1826. 

The  Rev.  George  Bush,  as  commissioner  from  Salem 
Presbytery,  was  a  member  of  the  General  Assembly  of 
1825,  the  first  representative  from  Indiana  in  that 
body. 

WABASH     PRESBYTERY. 

By  an  act  of  the  Synod  of  Kentucky,  October  1825, 
Salem  Presbytery  was  divided,  and  two  presbyteries, 
Madison  and  Wabash,  formed.  The  Columbus  church 
fell  within  the  bounds  of  Madison  Presbytery.  The 
Wabash  Presbytery  consisted  at  its  formation  of  five 
ministers  :  Samuel  T.  Scott,  Isaac  Reed,  George  Bush, 
Baynard  R.  Hall  and  Stephen  Bliss.  It  had  under  ite 
care  nineteen  churches.  Among  these  were  Bloming- 
ton,  Indianapolis,  Franklin  and  Greencastle. 

SYNOD    OF    INDIANA. 

In  1826  the  General  Assembly  constituted  the  Presby- 
teries of  Missouri,  Salem,  Wabash  and  Madison  into  a 
synod  denominated  the  Synod  of  Indiana.  This  synod 
met  in  Vincennes  October  18th,  1826.  There  were  present 
from  churches  witjain  the  bounds  of  the  present  Presby- 
tery of  Indianapolis,  Baynard  R,  Hall,  minister  of  the 
church  at  Bloomington,  George  Bush,  pastor  of  the 
church  at  Indianapolis,  and  John  Orchard,  elder  from 
the  church  at  Bloomington. 

DIFFICULTIES    WITH    MR.    BUSH. 

In  December,  1826,  Mr.  Bush,  in  a  sermon  preached  in 


PRESB  YTER  Y  OF  INDIA XA POLLS.  23 

the  oburcli  at  Indianapolis,  attempted  to  prove  at  length 
that  the  Presbyterian  form  of  church  government  was 
not  scriptural,  but  that  the  scriptural  form  of  church 
government  was  more  like  that  of  Independency.  The 
elders  of  the  church  remonstrated  with  him.  They 
thought  it  was  inconsistent  with  his  ordination  vows. 
They  labored  and  bore  long  with  him,  but  Mr.  Bush 
could  not  change  his  viewtj,  neither  could  he  cease  from 
propagating  them.  The  church  therefore  felt  con- 
strained to  apply  to  presbytery  for  a  dissolution  of  the 
pastoral  relation.  This  they  did  in  March,  1828.  Mr. 
Bush  resisted  the  application  of  the  church.  At  an  ad- 
journed meeting  of  the  Presbytery  of  Wabash,  held  in 
Indianapolis,  June,  1828,  the  request  of  the  church  was 
granted,  and  the  pastoral  relation  was  dissolved.  Mr. 
Bush  appealed  from  the  decision  of  the  presbytery  to 
synod,  A  portion  of  the  church  and  congregation  sym- 
pathized with  him,  and  to  these  he  preached  at  the 
court  house.  The  synod  afiirmed  the  decision  of  the 
presbytery,  but  with  resolutions  breathing  the  spirit  of 
fraternal  kindness  for  Mr.  Bush,  and  also  blaming  in 
some  measure  the  church.  The  church  carried  up  a 
complaint  to  the  General  Assembl}^  of  1829  against  the 
synod.  When  the  complaint  was  taken  up,  "  after  con- 
siderable discussion  and  mature  deliberation,  it  was  re- 
solved that  this  business  be  dismissed  on  account  of  in- 
formality, and  that  the  papers  be  returned  to  the  respec- 
tive parties." 

The  Rev.  John  R.  Moreland,  of  the  presbytery  of 
West  Lexington,  was  called  October  27,  1828,  to  the 
pastorate  of  the  church  of  Indianapolis.  Before  the  in- 
stallation of  Mr.  Moreland,  a  new  presbyter}'  had  been 
constituted  by  the  synod  in  October,  1829. 


24  HISTORY  OF  THE 

PRESBYTERY  OF  CRAWFORDSVILLE. 

The  new  presbytery  was  that  of  Crawfordsville.  The 
north  line  of  Vigo,  Clay,  Owen  and  Monroe  counties 
was  the  dividing  line  between  the  Crawfordsville  and 
Wabash  Presbyteries.  Samuel  Baldridge,  John  R. 
Moreland,  Samuel  H.  McNutt,  George  Bush,  James 
Crawford,  James  Thompson,  Jeremiah  Hill  and  John  L. 
Thompson,  were  the  ministers  constituting  the  new 
presbytery.  Thirteen  churches  were  reported  to  the 
General  Assembly  of  1830  within  the  presbytery.  Indi- 
anapolis was  included  in  this  presbytery.  It  was  to 
have  met  November  25,  1829,  at  Delphi,  Carroll  county, 
but  owing  to  an  extraordinary  fall  of  rain,  and  the 
swollen  and  impassable  state  of  the  streams,  the  presby- 
tery failed  to  meet.  The  moderator  called  the  presbytery 
together  at  Indianapolis,  March  25, 1880.  At  this  meet- 
ing of  presbytery,  the  Rev.  John  R.  Moreland  was 
installed  pastor  of  the  church  at  Indianapolis.  The  Rev. 
James  Thompson  preached  the  installation  sermon,  the 
Rev.  Samuel  Baldridge  presided  and  gave  the  charge  to 
the  pastor,  and  the  Rev.  S.  H.  McNutt  gave  the  charge 
to  the  people. 

DIFFICULTIES. 

At  this  meeting  of  the  presbytery  a  committee  was 
appointed  to  examine  and  give  certificates  during  the 
intervals  of  presbytery,  to  any  ministers  from  other 
presbyteries  who  might  come  within  the  bounds  of 
Crawfordsville  presbytery  and  seek  to  labor  in  any  of  its 
churches.  An  examination  by  either  one  of  a  commit- 
tee of  three,  and  certificate  of  approval,  seemed  to  be 
deemed  sufficient  guarantee  to  the  churches  that  they 
would  not  be  led  astray.  The  Rev.  Jeremiah  Hill  and 
Elder  Cornelius  Smock  protested  against  this  action 
of  the  presbytery.     Presbytery  also  requested  the  Rev. 


PRESB  YTER  Y  OF  INDIA  NA  POLLS.  25 

W.  W.  Woods,  a  member  of  Union  Presbytery,  Tennes- 
see, to  desist  from  preaching  in  the  churches  of  the 
presbytery,  on  account  of  erroneous  views,  which  it  was 
supposed  he  held. 

These,  and  other  things  left  on  record,  indicate  that 
difterences  and  divisions  were  springing  up  among  the 
brethren  and  the  churches. 

The  second  meeting  of  the  presbytery  was  with  the 
Coal  creek  church,  in  Parke  county,  September  30, 1830. 
At  this  meeting  of  presbytery  the  name  of  George  Bush 
was  ordered  to  be  dropped  from  the  roll,  he  having  ab- 
sented himself  from  the  meetings  of  presbytery,  and  in- 
formed the  presbytery  that  he  had  renounced  the  juris 
diction  of  the  Presbyterian  church.* 

DIFFICULTIES    ALLAYED. 

At  this  second  meeting  of  the  Presbytery  of  Craw- 

*  There  doubtless  should  be  added  to  this  record  the  well  known 
facts  of  Mr.  Bush's  future  career.  He  had  determined  to  consecrate 
his  life  to  literature,  and,  as  the  best  field  for  his  exertions,  made 
his  residence  in  New  York  city,  and  in  1831  he  was  elected  profes- 
sor of  Hebrew  and  Oriental  literature  in  its  University.  In  1840  he 
commenced  the  publication  of  his  "  Notes,  Critical  and  Explana- 
tory, "  on  the  Old  Testament.  Eight  volumes  were  issued,  embrac- 
ing Genesis,  Exodus,  Leviticus,  Joshua,  Judges  and  Numbers.  De- 
voting himself  in  1844  to  the  publication  of  a  monthly  magazine,  in 
which  he  discussed  the  nature  of  prophetic  symbols,  he  soon  mani- 
fested a  disposition  to  recede  from  the  rules  of  interpretation  and 
opinions  commonly  received  in  the  Protestant  churches.  In  1844 
Dr.  James  W.  Alexander  wrote  to  Dr.  Hall :  "  Bush  is  going  fast 
over  to  the  New  Jerusalem.  In  the  Tribune,  he  challenges  all  the 
world  to  prove  the  resurrection.  He  has  a  book  coming  out  on  the 
soul.  He  practices  Mesmerism.  He  told  me  of  a  lady,  who  can 
read  any  one's  character  by  feeling  a  paper  on  which  he  has  written, 
and  read  me  a  copy  of  his  own  character  thus  deduced.  His  talk 
is  mild,  self-complacent  -and  fascinating.  He  has  a  man  translating 
the  Germen  account  of  the  famous  Clairvoyante  of  Prevorst.  You 
can  imagine  nothing  of  the  sort  too  big  for  his  swallow."  What 
Dr.  J.  W.  Alexander  perceived  in  1844  did  not,  however,  occur  till 
1848,  when  he  consented  to  receive  the  rite  of  ordination  privately, 
and  it  was  administered  to  him  privately  by  Dr.  Lewis  Beers,  an 
aged  clergyman  in  the  New  (Jerusalem)  Church,  at  Danby,  New 
York. — [_Inde.v  Volume  Princeton  Review,  p.  121. 


26  HISTORY  OF  THE 

fordsville,  the  action  of  the  presbytery  at  its  first  meet- 
ing concerning  Rev.  W.  W.  Wood  was,  upon  application 
of  the  church  at  Greenwood,  reconsidered  and  reversed, 
and  Mr.  Wood  received  as  a  member  of  presbytery  by 
letter  from  the  Presbytery  of  West  Union. 

At  an  adjourned  meeting  of  presbytery,  held  in  Octo- 
ber, 1830,  at  Madison,  during  the  session  of  the  synod, 
the  following  members  were  present :  Samuel  H.  Mc- 
Nutt,  James  Crawford,  Jeremiah  Hill,  W.  W.  Woods, 
James  Thotopson  and  M.  M.  Post,  ministers,  and  John 
Covert  and  James  M.  Ray,  elders. 

The  following  action  was  taken : 

Whereas,  Harmony  of  feeling  is  especially  desirable  amongst 
brethren,  in  order  to  secure  union  of  effort,  and  thus  promote  e^ch 
other's  usefulness  as  well  as  happiness  ;  and. 

Whereas,  There  are  differences  of  sentiment  existing  amongst 
the  brethren  composing  the  General  Assembly,  which,  by  common 
consent,  are  borne  with  ;  therefore, 

Resolved,  That  it  is  inexpedient  for  this  presbytery  to  enforce  the 
resolutions  adopted  at  the  last  spring  meeting  on  the  subject  of  ex- 
amining ministers,  credentials,  etc.,  and  that  said  resolutions  be  and 
are  hereby  rescinded. 

With  this  manifestation  of  the  spirit  of  peace,  there 
was  a  manifestation  of  the  spirit  of  missionary  zeal. 
Every  minister  of  the  presbytery  was  requested  to  spend 
ten  days  of  missionary  labor,  including  one  Sabbath,  in 
the  vacancies  somewhere  in  the  presbytery,  and  report 
at  the  next  stated  meeting. 

At  this  same  meeting  of  presbytery,  the  Rev.  David 
Monfort,  although  not  present,  was  received  b}^  letter 
from  the  Presbytery  of  Chillicothe.  Also,  the  Rev.  M. 
M.  Post,  reporting  the  prospects  of  organizing  a  church 
at  Logansport,  presbytery  advised  him  to  continue  his 
labors  if  he  could  be  sustained,  and  organize  a  church 
as  soon  as  he  deemed  it  expedient. 


PEESB  YTER  Y  OF  INDIA  NA  POLLS.  27 


CHAPTER    III. 

Presbytery  of  Indianapolis — First  Statistical  Heport — The 
Field  and  its  Occupation  in  1830 — Decision  of  Presbytery 
on  Representation,  Presbytery  resisting  division — Com- 
plaint against  Presbytery — Dissensions  from  diversity  in 
Doctrine — Items — Hopewell — Industrial  aspects  and  in- 
terests— Southpoii,  Danville,  Greencastle,  Shiloh,  Bethany 
—  The  field  at  the  time  of  the  great  division  of  the  Church. 

1830—1838. 

At  the  meeting  of  SjDod  in  Madison,  October,  1830, 
the  presbytery  of  Indianapolis  was  organized.*  The 
action  of  synod,  as  recorded  in  the  Minutes  of  Synod, 
was  this : 

Overture  No.  4  was  taken  up,  and  the  following  reso- 
lutions were  adopted : 

Resolved,  That  Kevs.  Messrs.  John  R.  Moreland,  David  Monfort, 
W.  W.  Wood,  and  Jei-emiah  Hill,  of  the  Presbytery  of  Crawfords- 
ville,  and  Eevs.  Messrs.  S.  G.  Lowry  and  Wm.  Sickels,  of  the  Presby- 
tery of  Madison,  be  and  they  are  hereby  constituted  a  new  presby- 
tery, to  be  known  by  the  name  of  the  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis, 
including  the  counties  of  Marion,  Johnson,  Bartholomew,  and 
Decatur,  and  all  the  territory  lyii^g  north  of  those  counties ;  it 
being  understood  that  the  west  line  of  Hamilton,  carried  north, 
shall  be  the  line  between  the  presbyteries  of  Crawfordsville  and 
Indianapolis ;  and  further 

Resolved,  That  said  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis  be  directed  to 
hold  its  first  meeting  at  Greensburg  on  the  first  Thursday  in  April 

*  The  first  volume  of  the  Records  of  the  Presbytery  is  lost.  Ex* 
isting  records  begin  October,  1837. 


28  HISTOR  Y  OF  THE 

next,  at  12  o'clock  m.,  and  that  the  Rev.  John  R.  Moreland  be  ai>- 
pointed  to  open  the  presbytery  with  a  sermon,  and  preside  till  a 
moderator  shall  be  chosen ;  and  in  case  of  his  absence,  the  senior 
minister  present  shall  perform  this  duty. 

Upon  the  opposite  page  is  a  copy  of  the  statistical  re- 
port made  to  the  General  Assembly  of  1831,  by  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Indianapolis  at  its  meeting  at  Greensburg. 
The  Eev.  Samuel  G.  Lowry  was  its  first  commissioner 
to  the  General  Assembly,  representing  the  presbytery  in 
the  General  Assembly  of  1831. 

At  this  first  meeting  of  the  presbytery  the  Rev.  Eliph- 
alet  Kent  was  received  and  enrolled. 


PRESB  YTER  Y  OF  INDIA  NA  POLLS. 


29 


o 

•< 

5' 

3 

/I 

■5* 

B 

74.       Presbytery  of  Indianapolis. 

John  B.  Moreland,  P 

David  Monfort,  8.  s 

Samuel  G.  Lowry,  P 

Wm.  W.  WoodB,  K.  8 

Jeremiah  Hill,  Miss 

5" 

m 
ft 

*■ 
z 
o 

o 

Z 
H 

? 

H 
M 

U 

1  . 

Z 

>■ 

3 

2 

S9 
O 

a 

?  1 

< 

-> 

0 

i   [ 

5. 

=       0 

1     ; 

1 

< 

5 

3 

3 

r 

4 

z! 
1 
■d 

3 

1      0 

a.     „ 

3 

z 

1        - 

3* 

5* 

r 

3 
3-. 

X 

"5 
■d 

5 

3*       ' 

3 

J' 

3 

5 
■d 

^ 

00 

bS 

Com.    added    on 
examination. 

§ 

00          00 

:::    -    § 

Com.    added    on 
certificate. 

w 

CO         CD 
Oi        to 

1    S    1^ 

Total    of     Com- 
municant8. 

li 

5    ^    S> 

Total     of     Bap- 
tisms. 

o 

s 

to      1? 

g  g 

Mi88ionary  fund 
raised. 

to 

■3.    g 

O        CO 

Funds  for  Com- 
missioners. 

S5 

o 

8 

Theologi'l    Sem- 
inary      funds 
raised. 

Education  funds 
raised. 

Contingent  fund 
of  the  Assem- 
bly. 

5! 
1 

a 
<^ 

5" 

B 

a. 

1 

D 

c- 

e 
■1 

JO 

B 
O. 

a. 

5' 

B 
»> 

b' 

O 
p. 

e 
s 

-V- 
B 

-/ 

t2 

B 

w 

a. 
oo 
a 

B 
D. 

B 

B* 
< 

p. 

O 

B 

£. 

3 

a. 

s 
c 

E 
a. 

B 

5' 

s 

M 
13 
O. 

E' 

B 

•o 

o_ 

S' 

B 

3 

H 

O 

o 

M 

>■ 
0 

e 
a 

H  aiicock i 1,436 

Johnson 4,01 9 

Bartholomew 5,476 


ZO  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Of  the  counties  included  within  the  present  Presbytery 
of  Indianapolis,  Monroe  continued  in  Wabash  Presby- 
tery, and  Putnam,  Hendricks  and  Morgan  counties  in 
connection  with  the  Presbj^tery  of  Crawfordsville. 
Brown  county  was  still  a  part  of  Monroe,  and  was  not 
organized  until  1836.  In  1830,  the  population  of  the 
counties  now  included  in  the  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis 
was  thus  reported  in  the  United  States  census  : 

Monroe 6,577 

Putnam 8,262 

Hendricks 3,975 

Morgan 5,593 

Marion 7,192  Total 42,470 

In  Marion  county  was  the  church  at  Indianapolis.  Its 
membership  had  been  increased  from  thirty  at  the  time 
Mr.  Moreland  canie  to  it,  to  one  hundred  by  1830,  forty 
having  been  received  upon  examination.  At  Greenwood, 
the  Rev.  W.  W.  Woods  was  preaching,  the  church  num- 
bering in  1830  sixty-five. 

The  church  at  Franklin  had  increased  by  1830,  to 
eighty-one.  In  1829,  twenty-one  had  been  received  by 
examination.  In  1830,  twenty-seven  were  added  by  cer- 
tificate, and  three  by  examination,  making  the  whole 
number  eighty-one.  Until  November,  1830,  those  who 
had  ministered  to  the  church  at  Franklin,  had  been 
with  the  church  as  missionary  supplies^  each  for  a  short 
time  only.  Those  who  had  thus  ministered  to  the  church 
were  Isaac  Reed,  William.  Duncan,  John  F.  Moreland, 
Jeremiah  Hill  and  W.  W.  Wood.  In  November,  1830, 
the  Rev.  David  Monfort  "  commenced  labors  as  a  stated 
supply  or  missionary." 

The  church  at  Columbus  was  reported  by  the  Presby- 
tery of  Madison  to  the  General  Assembly  of  1829,  as 
having  eighteen  members. 

The  church  at  Greencastle,  left  in  its  feebleness  with- 


PRESB  YTER  F  OF  INDIA NA  POLLS.  31 

out  supplies,  and  without  a  house  of  worship,  had  be- 
come extinct. 

In  1829,  a  church  was  organized  by  Rev.  Isaac  Reed, 
at  Poplar  Spring,  Putnam  county. 

In  November  1830,  a  church  consisting  of  ten  mem- 
bers was  organized  by  the  Rev.  Isaac  Reed,  at  Putnam- 
ville. 

The  church  at  Blooraington,  having  built  a  comfort- 
able brick  edifice,  and  entered  into  it  in  1829,  was  in  a 
prosperous  condition,  having  a  membership  in  1830,  of 
fifty-eight.  The  Rev.  Baynard  R.  Hall,  who  had  been 
installed  as  pastor  of  the  church,  after  a  pastorate  of 
one  year,  had  asked  for  a  dissolution  of  the  pastoral 
relation,  because  of  his  relations  to  the  State  Seminary, 
of  which  he  was  the  first  Professor.  He  was  released 
from  the  pastoral  care  of  the  church,  but  continued  its 
stated  supply  until  1830. 

In  1828  the  State  Seminary  became  Indiana  College, 
and  the  Rev.  Andrew  "Wylie,  D.  D.,  was  elected  its  first 
president.  In  1830,  he  became  the  stated  supply  of  the 
church  at  Bloomington. 

In  1830  the  Rev.  Isaac  Reed  w^as  also  residing  at  Bloom- 
ington, having  returned  to  Indiana  from  Moriah,  New 
York,  where  he  had  been,  for  a  short  period,  pastor  of 
a  Congregational  church.  He  was  endeavoring  to  es- 
tablish a  Female  School  at  Bloomington,  while  also 
laboring  as  a  missionary  in  the  abounding  destitutions 
of  the  rapidly  settling  country.  A  bird's-eye  view  of 
the  field  at  this  time  shows  then,  in  a  population  of 
more  than  forty  thousand  s<5attered  over  these  counties, 
seven  Presbyterian  churches,  the  strongest  containing  a 
hundred  members,  the  weakest  ten,  and  all  only  a  few 
over  three  hundred.  There  is  one  pastor,  J.  R.  More- 
jand  at  Indianapolis,  and  there  are  two  stated  supplies, 


32  HISTORY  OF  THE 

W.  W.  Wood  .at  Greenwood,  and  David  Monfort  at 
Franklin,  who  are  wholly  given  to  the  work  of  the 
ministry.  One  of  these,  David  Monfort,  the  last  month 
but  one  in  the  year,  has  just  entered  the  field.  There 
are  three  other  ministers  at  Bloomingtou  engaged  in 
the  work  of  education,  but  giving  a  part  of  their  time 
to  the  work  of  preaching,  the  Rev.  Andrew  Wylie,  D. 
D.,  President  of  Indiana  College,  and  Bayuard  R.  Hall, 
Professor  in  the  College,  and  Rev.  Isaac  Reed,  who  is 
seeking  to  establish  a  school  for  young  ladies,  while  he 
also  gives  himself  in  part  to  missionary  labors.  Thus 
contemplating  the  field,  we  very  clearly  perceive  that 
the  Presbyterians  are  a  feeble  folk,  yet  we  have  the  as- 
surance that  they  are  building  in  the  rock,  even  the  Rock 
of  Ages. 

DECISION    OF    PRESBYTERY    ON    REPRESENTATION. 

In  October,  1831,  the  Synod  of  Indiana  greatly  re- 
duced in  size,  the  presbyteries  of  the  States  of  Illinois 
and  Missouri  having  been  erected  by  the  Assembly  of 
1831  into  the  Synod  of  Illinois,  met  in  Bloomington. 
At  this  meeting  of  Synod  the  roll  of  synod  shows  no 
changes  in  the  membership  of  the  Presbytery  of  Indian- 
apolis. During  the  sessions  of  synod,  a  resolution  passed 
by  the  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis  was  brought  up  by 
overture  before  synod.  The  presbytery  in  the  overture 
asked  an  answer  to  the  constitutional  questions  involved. 
The  following  was  the  resolution  : 

Resolved,  That  in  this  presbytery  every  church  be  considered 
as  vacant,  and  entitled  to  a  representation  in  presbytery,  where  a 
regular  pastoral  relation  has  not  been  formed,  according  to  the 
book  of  Discipline  in  the  Presbyterian  church. 

The  overture  was  not  answered  until  the  next  meeting 
of  synod  at  Crawfordsville,  when  it  was  answered  ad- 
versely.    The   interpretation    given   by    the   resolution. 


PRESBYTERY  01  INDIANAPOLIS.  33 

respecting  the  representation  of  churches,  has,  however, 
since  become  the  law  of  the  church,  having  been 
adopted  by  both  Assemblies  before  the  reunion ;  by  the 
0.  S.  Assembly  in  1847,  and  the  N.  S.  Assembly  in  1851  * 

In  the  statistical  report  of  the  presbytery  to  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  of  1832,  two  new  names  appear  on  the 
roll  of  ministers,  James  R.  Wheelock,  stated  supply  at 
Greeusburg  and  Mill  Creek,  and  John  Todd. 

At  the  meeting  of  synod  at  Crawfordsville,  just  re- 
ferred to,  in  October,  1832,  from  the  records  of  synod,  it 
appears  that  S.  G.  Lowry  had  been  dismissed  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Indianapolis  to  unite  with  the  Presbytery 
of  Crawfordsville. 

October  19,  the  second  day  of  synod,  this  record  is 
made  in  the  minutes  :  "  The  synod  then  solemnly  paused 
to  record  the  death  of  one  of  their  members,  the  Rev. 
John  R.  Moreland,  who  was  taken  from  this  world  of 
trial  and  suffering  on  the  15th  inst." 

Mr.  Moreland  had,  a  short  time  previous  to  his  death, 
been  released  from  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  church  at 
Indianapolis. 

PRESBYTERY   RESISTING    DIVISION. 

Two  matters  of  importance  to  the  presbytery  were 
brought  before  synod.  One  was  a  petition  by  the  mi- 
nority of  the  presbytery  to  have  the  presbytery  divided. 
The  petition  was  referred  to  the  committee  on  bills  and 
overtures,  who  reported  in  favor  of  the  petition  and 
recommended  the  formation  of  a  new  presbytery,  to  be 
called  Union,  consisting  of  the  counties  of  Decatur,  Bar- 
tholomew, Shelb}'  and  Johnson,  reserving  to  John  Todd 
and  his  congregation,  and  David  Monfort  and  his  con- 
gregation, the  privilege  of  remaining  connected  with  the 
Indianapolis  Presbytery. 

Moore's  Digest,  pp.  138-139. 
3 


34  HISTORY  OF  THE 

After  considerable  discussion,  the  subject  was  indefi- 
nitely postponed. 

Mr.  Wood  then  obtained  leave  to  bring  in  the  follow- 
ing resolution : 

Resolved,  That  it  is  the  duty  of  this  synod  to  furnish  the  petition- 
ers from  Indianapolis  Presbytery  the  information  called  for  in  rela- 
tion to  the  previous  steps  required  of  them  by  the  constitution,  in 
order  that  the  synod  may  regularly  and  constitutionally  act  on  the 
subject  of  their  petition. 

The  subject  was  referred  by  synod  to  a  committee  of 
three,  Messrs.  Matthews,  Williamson  and  Dunn,  J;o 
report  upon  before  the  rising  of  synod. 

The  committee  reported  the  following  resolution, 
which  was  adopted,  viz: 

That  said  members  of  the  minority  of  Indianapolis  Presbytery  be 
directed  to  bring  the  request  for  a  division  directly  before  the  pres" 
bytery,  and  if  the  presbytery  refuse  to  concur  with  them  in  petition- 
ing the  synod  for  a  division,  then  they  may  bring  up  their  petition 
to  synod  by  way  of  complaint,  when  the  synod  will  consider  it 
regularly  before  them. 

COMPLAINT   AGAINST   PRESBYTERY. 

Another  matter  of  importance  before  the  synod  per- 
taining to  the  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis,  was  a  com- 
plaint against  the  presbytery  by  Rev.  W.  W.  Woods  and 
Eev.  J.  R.  Wheelock.  The  complaint  was  against  a 
standing  rule  of  presbytery,  requiring  an  examination  on 
theology  of  every  minister  proposing  to  connect  himself 
with  said  presbytery,  provided  any  two  members  should 
require  it.  After  the  complaint  was  heard,  the  synod 
passed  the  following  resolution,  viz: 

Resolved,  That  without  censuring  the  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis, 
the  complaint  be  sustained,  so  far  as  regards  the  expediency  of  the 
standing  rule  complained  of. 

To   this   resolution   Messrs.  Williamson,  Martin  and 
Hummer  entered  their  dissent. 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  35 

The  next  meeting  of  synod  was  at  Indianapolis,  Octo- 
ber 10,  1833.  No  change  appears  to  have  occurred  in 
.he  ministers  of  presbytery  during  the  year. 

DISSENSIONS   FROM    DIVERSITY   IN    DOCTRINE. 

Among  the  first  items  of  business  before  synod  was 
the  presentation  of  a  petition  to  synod  by  the  Rev.  John 
S.  Weaver,  that  synod  would  attach  him  to  the  Presby- 
tery of  Indianapolis,  as  he  had  been  dismissed  to  said 
presbytery  and  had  as  3^et  had  no  opportunity  to  unite 
with  it.  Synod  thereupon  ordered  :  "  That  the  Presby- 
tery of  Indianapolis  be  directed  to  meet  to-morrow 
morning  at  eight  o'clock  to  afibrd  to  Mr.  Weaver,  and 
also  to  Rev.  Hilary  Patrick,  an  opportunity  to  present 
their  certificates  for  admission  into  said  presbytery." 

The  record  states  that  Mr.  Patrick  was  from  the  Synod 
of  South  Alabama.  It  is  not  stated  what  the  previous 
ecclesiastical  relation  of  Mr.  Weaver  was. 

An  exception  was  also  made  to  the  records  of  presby- 
tery, that  the  application  of  Mr.  Weaver  to  be  received 
into  presbytery  had  been  refused  without  any  reasons 
being  assigned  for  the  refusal. 

Upon  the  morning  of  the  second  day  of  synod,  the 
stated  clerk  of  the  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis  reported  to 
the  synod  that,  agreeably  to  the  direction  of  the  synod, 
a  meeting  of  presbytery  had  been  held,  and  Messrs. 
Patrick  and  Weaver  received. 

The  clerk  of  synod  likewise  reported  that  there  had 
been  put  into  his  hands  an  appeal  from  a  decision  of  In- 
dianapolis Presbytery  by  Rev.  James  R.  Wheelock,  also 
a  complaint  signed  by  other  members  of  the  presbytery 
against  such  decision. 

The  case  in  issue,  concerning  which  this  appeal  was 
taken,  was  remanded  by  synod  to  the  presbytery  for  the 
bringing  in  of  a  definitive  sentence,  and  as  tnis  defect  in 


36  HISTORY  OF  THE 

the  proceedings  of  presbytery  occurred  in  consequence 
of  a  disorderly  withdrawal  of  the  friends  of  Mr.  Whee- 
lock  from  the  presbytery,  it  was  directed,  as  the  readiest 
and  most  orderly  way  in  the  unhappy  and  difficult  case, 
that  Mr.  Wheelock  reserve  the  prosecution  of  his  ap- 
peal until  presbytery  had  passed  a  definitive  sentence, 
and  that  the  presbytery  meet  during  the  recess  of  synod 
and  issue  the  case  of  Wheelock  or  refer  said  case  ta 
synod. 

The  case  was  referred  by  presbytery  to  synod.  It  oc- 
cupied the  whole  of  synod  for  two  days.  On  the  morn- 
ing of  the  third  day  a  committee  was  appointed  to 
express  the  judgment  of  synod.  The  committee  con- 
sisted of  Andrew  Wylie,  J.  Thompson,  John  F.  Crowe, 
B.  C.  Cressy,  ministers,  and  William  Alexander,  elder. 

The  committee  made  the  following  report,  which  was 
adopted : 

"  That  having  taken  the  subject  under  then-  serious  considera- 
tion, they  have  agreed  to  recommend  to  synod,  for  their  adoption, 
the  following  resolutions,  viz  : 

"Itesolved,  That  it  is  well  known  throughout  the  bounds  of  the 
Presbyterian  church,  in  the  United  States,  that  a  difference  of 
phraseology  and  mode  of  illustration,  with  regard  to  the  doctrinal 
points  referred  to,  in  the  charges  referred  to  by  Mr.  Hopkins, 
against  the  Rev.  J.  R.  Wheelock,  has  for  a  long  time  prevailed  in 
our  church,  and  to  a  certain  degree  ought  to  be  tolerated.  That  in 
using  this  liberty  of  expression,  ministers  of  the  gospel  ought  to  be 
very  careful  not  to  vary  from  the  form  of  sound  words  contained  in 
the  standards  of  our  church,  since  want  of  due  caution  in  thi» 
respect  is  calculated  to  give  offence,  and  to  awaken  unpleasant  and 
injurious  suspicions  in  the  minds  of  many  people.  And  that  it 
appears  from  the  tesdmony,  that  Mr.  Wheelock  has  noi,  in  hi» 
public  ministrations,  been  sufficiently  guarded  in  this  respect. 
Nevertheless,  the  testimony,  together  with  Mr.  Wheelock's  written 
confession  of  faith  with  regard  to  the  points  alluded  to,  does  suffi- 
ciently shew  that  Mr.  Wheelock  does  not  hold  doctrines  essentially 
variant  from  our  standards. 

"  In   regard   to   the  sixth  specification,  the   synod   decide   that 


PBESB  YTER  Y  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  37 

though  Mr.  Wheelock  is  not  proved  to  have  uttered  a  wilful  false- 
hood, his  language  was  highly  indecorous  and  offensive ;  especially 
as  uttered  from  the  pulpit  and  on  the  Lord's  day. 

"As  it  respects  the  prosecutor,  the  synod  are  of  opinion  that  there 
is  no  evidence  or  reason  to  believe  that  he  was  actuated,  in  exhib- 
iting charges  against  Mr.  Wheelock,  by  any  other  motives  than 
such  as  become  him  and  all  other  officers  and  members  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church,  who  are  solemnly  bound  to  be  watchful  of  its 
purity  and  peace ;  yet  he  appears  not  to  have  taken  such  previous 
steps  in  the  case  as  the  spirit  of  the  standard  of  Discipline  requires. 
Therefore,  in  view  of  the  whole  case,  it  is  further 

''Resolved,  That  Mr.  Wheelock  be  solemnly  and  aflfectionately 
admonished,  and  he  is  hereby  admonished,  in  his  future  public 
ministrations,  that  he  give  'good  heed,'  and  seek  to  'find  out  good 
and  acceptable  words;'  and  further,  that  the  prosecutor  and  all 
other  members  of  our  church  should  be  admonished  to  observe  the 
rules  prescribed  in  the  Word  of  God  and  the  standards  of  our 
church,  respecting  commencing  process  against  a  gospel  minister." 

From  the  foregoing  decision  the  following  dissent  was 
presented,  and  ordered  to  be  entered  on  the  minutes, 
viz  : 

"  The  under^gned  dissent  from  the  decision  of  the  synod,  by 
which  they  declare  that  '  testimony,  together  with  Mr.  Wheelock's 
written  confession  of  faith,  in  regard  to  the  points  alluded  to,  does 
not  sufficiently  shew  that  Mr.  Wheelock  does  not  hold  doctrines 
essentially  variant  from  those  of  our  standards,'  inasmuch  as  they 
do  firmly  believe  that  the  testimony  adduced  clearly  shewed  that 
on  the  subjects  of  Federal  representation,  imputation,  and  the 
atonement  of  Christ,  Mr.  Wheelock  does  vary  materially  from  the 
standards  of  our  church ;  and  moreover,  this  testimony  was  abun- 
dantly confirmed  by  Mr.  Wheelock's  written  confession. 
"  Alexander  Wn.UAMSON,  Wm.  Sickels, 
"  John  Finley  Crowe,  Henderson  Bell, 

"John  Campbell,  William  Beale, 

"  John  Llst,  David  McClure, 

•'  John  Hendricks,  John  S.  Weaver, 

"  Matthew  G.  Wallace,  Wm.  0.  Koss, 

"  David  Monfort,  James  H.  Thompson." 


38       •  HISTORY  OF  THE 

ITEMS. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  synod  at  New  Albany  in  1834, 
three  new  names  appear  upon  the  roll  of  the  presbytery, 
Thomas  Barr,  Samuel  Hurd  and  W".  A.  Holliday. 

In  September,  1884,  the  church  at  Indianapolis  called 
the  Rev.  James  McKennan,  of  the  Presbytery  of  Wash- 
ington, Pennsylvania.  He  was  installed  pastor  June 
16,  1835. 

In  October,  1835,  J.  R.  Wheelock  was  received  into 
Crawfordsville  Presbytery  by  letter  from  the  Presbytery 
of  Indianapolis. 

From  the  roll  of  Synod  at  Crawfordsville,  in  1836,  it 
appears  that  Wells  Bushnell  was  received  into  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Indianapolis  during  the  year.  David  M. 
Stewart  is  also  reported  in  the  Assembly's  minutes  as  a 
licentiate  of  the  presbytery.  In  1837,  Mr.  Stewart  is 
reported  pastor  of  the  church  at  Rushville,  and  David 
V.  Smock  is  added  to  the  roll  of  members  as  pastor  of 
the  church  at  Knightstown.  In  October,  1837,  W.  W. 
Woods  is  received  into  Crawfordsville  Presbytery  by 
letter  from   Presbytery  of  Indianapolis. 

HOPEWELL. 

Returning  now  to  the  history  of  the  cuurches  of  the 
presbytery,  we  find  thatinMay,  1831,  the  church  of  Hope- 
well was,  by  order  of  presbytery,  organized  with  forty 
members  from  the  Franklin  church.  In  October,  1831,  the 
Rev.  D.  Monfort  was  installed  pastor  of  the  Franklin  and 
Hopewell  churches,  upon  a  salary  of  threehundred  dollars. 
In  explanation  of  this  meagre  salary.  Judge  Banta,  in 
his  Historical  Address  at  the  Semi-centenary  Anniver- 
sary of  the  Franklin  church,  makes  some  statements 
which  are  of  general  interest,  as  giving  to  us  a  picture 
not  only  of  the  industrial  aspect*  and  economies  or 
household  management  of  Johnson  county,  but  of  this 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  •       39 

entire  interior  region  of  country,  with  its  base  of  snp- 
splies  upon  the  Ohio  river,  and  the  farmers,  with  their 
teams  loaded  with  the  produce  of  their  farms  for  the 
exchange  of  merchandise,  threading  their  way  at  suita- 
ble seasons  to  the  distant  river  towns.  The  Judge  says  : 
"  The  people  were  still  without  a  market  in  which  to 
sell  their  surplus  produce  nearer  than  Madison,  on  the 
Ohio  river,  sixty-five  miles  away.  Wheat  was  worth 
from  twenty-five  to  thirty-five  cents  per  bushel ;  corn 
ten,  and  oats  eight.  Good  work  horses  sold  at  from 
thirty-five  and  forty  dollars  per  head,  to  fifty  and  sixty; 
cows,  at  from  five  to  ten  dollars  each  ;  while  all  cotton 
and  imported  woolen  goods,  and  groceries  of  all  kinds, 
cost  at  least  double  the  present  prices.  Those  in  the 
entire  county,  who  were  not  compelled  to  toil  for  daily 
bread  and  raiment,  you  could  have  counted  off"  on  the 
fingers  of  your  right  hand.  The  men  tilled  the  soil 
during  the  tilling  season,  and  cleared  land  for  themselves 
or  others  during  the  fall  and  winter  seasons,  and  spent 
the  long  winter  evenings  in  making  and  mending  shoes 
for  their  families,  or  other  domestic  labor ;  while  the 
women  not  only  looked  after  the  ordinary  and  daily 
aff'airs  of  the  household,  but  spun  flax,  carded  and  spun 
the  wool,  and  wove  linens,  flannels  and  jeans,  with  which 
all  were  clothed." 

SOUTHPORT. 

The  church  at  Southport  was  organized  March  30th, 
1883,  by  W.  W.  Woods,  with  twenty-four  members  dis- 
missed for  the  purpose  from  the  church  at  Greenwood. 
The  church  was  named  New  Providence  at  its  organiza- 
tion. Otis  Sprague  and  John  S.  Sebern  were  elected 
elders.  Rev,  Hilary  Patrick  labored  for  the  church  for 
a  short  period.  The  Rev.  John  Todd  also  ministered 
to  the  church  for  several  years.  Its  membership  in  1838 
was  forty-one. 


40        •  HISTORY  OF  THE 


DANVILLE. 


The  church  at  Danville,  Hendricks  county,  was  organ- 
ized by  S.  G.  Lowry  in  December,  1832,  with  nineteen 
members.  Daniel  McAuley,  Stephen  Mahood  and 
Alexander  Morris,  were  elected  elders.  Mr.  Lowry 
preached  for  some  months  for  the  church  once  a  month. 
The  church  was  without  any  stated  ministry  until  1835, 
when  Rev.  Moody  Chase  removed  to  Danville,  and  took 
charge  of  the  church.  A  church  edifice  was  erected 
in  1837.     Its  membership  at  the  time  was  thirty-eight. 

GREENCASTLE. 

The  church  at  Greencastle  was  reorganized  July  14th, 

1833,  with    fourteen    members,   by    S.   G.  Lowry.     In 

1834,  W.  W.  Woods  commenced  his  labors  with  the 
church  and  remained  until  1837.  In  that  year  J.  R* 
Wheelock  took  charge  of  the  church  and  continued 
with  it  a  year  and  three  months.  The  church  wor- 
shipped until  1836  in  a  log  house  that  had  been  built 
by  the  Methodists.  In  this  year  they  erected  a  brick 
edifice  forty  by  fifty  feet.  In  1836  the  membership  was 
forty-nine,  in  1837,  it  was  seventy-five. 

PUTNAMVILLE. 

The  church  at  Putnamville  after  its  organization  in 

1830,  enjoyed  the  labors  a  part  of  the  time  for  nearly 
four  years  of  Revs.  Jeremiah  Hill,  James  Shields  and 
S.  G.  Lowry.      At  a   communion    season    in    August 

1831,  nineteen  persons  were  received  by  letter.  In  less 
than  four  years  the  church  had  increased  to  sixty-five. 
W.  W.  Woods  ministered  to  the  church  in  connection 
with  his  lators  at  Greencastle.  His  labors  at  Putnam- 
ville continued  for  nine  years. 

BLOOMINGTON. 

At  Bloomington,  the  Rev.  Ransom  Hawley  had  be- 


PRESBYTERZ  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  41 

come  stated  supply  of  the  church  in  1834.  Prof.  Hall 
had  removed  to  Bedford,  Pennsylvania.  Mr.  Eeed  not 
succeeding  in  his  efforts  in  building  up  a  female  school, 
had  gone  to  Hanover.  A  personal  difficulty  between 
Dr.  "Wylie,  President  of  the  State  College,  and  John  H. 
Harney,  Professor  in  the  college,  who  was  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  church,  led  to  a  church  trial,  which  caused 
no  little  trouble  to  the  church.  The  case  was  widely 
known  in  its  day,  passing  through  presbytery  and  synod 
to  the  General  Assembly,  and  sent  back  by  the  General 
Assembly,  again  occupied  the  time  of  presbytery  and 
eynod  with  all  its  details.  The  alienations  and  divisions 
thus  originated  in  the  church  at  Bloomington  could  not 
but  hinder  its  prosperity.  The  membership  reported  to 
the  Assembly  in  1838,  was  seventy-two. 

From  the  minutes  of  the  General  Assembly,  we  find 
the  Shiloh  church  first  reported  in  1836,  but  without 
the  number  of  its  members.  In  1837,  its  membership 
is  reported  as  thirty-seven. 

The  Bethany  church  is  first  reported  in  1837,  with 
thirty  members. 

The  names  of  South  Marion,  Sugar  Creek  and  Eagle 
Creek  are  in  the  minutes  of  the  Assembly  for  1832. 
Eagle  Creek  has  then  a  membership  of  twenty-five,  in 
1836,  of  only  nineteen. 

In  1830,  the  church  of  Columbus  was  supplied  for  a 
time  by  the  Rev.  Hilary  Patrick.  In  1834,  the  Rev. 
Michael  A.  Remley  resided  at  Columbus,  and  supplied 
the  church.  In  1837,  Rev.  Windsor  A.  Smith  took  charge 
of  the  church,  and  supplied  it  for  two  and  a  half  years. 
But  there  was  yet  no  church  edifice.  The  number  of 
members  reported  to  the  General  Assembly  in  1838,  was 
thirty-five. 


42 


HISTOR  Y  OF  THE 


Danville  35 

Greencastle 75 

Putnam  ville 65 

Bloomington 72 

Columbus 35 

Poplar  Spring 90 

Total 1,042 


From  the  minntes  of  the  Assembly  for  1837  and  1838, 

we  have  the  membership  of  the  churches  as  follows  : 

Franklin 114 

Hopewell 106 

Indianapolis 172 

Greenwood 132 

New  Providence 41 

Shiloh 28 

Bethanv 30 

Eagle  Creek 28 

South  Marion 19 

On  this  field  are  the  following  ministers :  John  Todd, 
David  Monfort,  Eliphalet  Kent,  Wm.  Sickels,  W.  A- 
Holliday,  James  W.  McKennan,  Moody  Chase,  W.  W. 
Woods,  Ransom  Hawley,  Andrew  Wylie,  D.  D.,  and  W". 
A.  Smitli.  Of  these,  Dr.  Wylie  is  President  of  the 
State  College,  and  wholly  occupied  with  its  duties.  Kev. 
W.  A.  Holliday  is  also  engaged  in  teaching. 

In  this  field  of  the  present  presbytery,  there  was,  two 
years  later,  a  population  of  more  than  84,000 ;  by  coun- 
ties as  follows : 


Monroe 10,143 

Brown 2,364 

Bartholomew 10,042 


Total 84,364 


Marion 16,080 

Johnson 9,352 

Hancock 7,535 

Hendricks 11,264 

Putnam 16,843 

Morgan 10,741 

In  this  growing  population  the  Presbyterians  are  still 

a  feeble  folk,  and  unhappily  divided.      How  will  they 

grow  when  they  are  no  longer  quarreling  factions  in  the 

same  church,  but  divided  into  two  difierent  bodies,  each 

harmonious  with  itself?     We  shall  see,  if  we  follow  on. 


PRESB  YTER  Y  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  43 


CHAPTER    IV. 

Actioyi  of  the  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis  in  the  Great  Divi- 
sion of  the  Church — Action  of  the  Presbytery  of  Crawfords- 
ville — Greencastle  First — Greencastle  Second — Putnam- 
ville,  Poplar  Spring,  Bainbridge,  Carpentersville,  Bioom- 
ington,  Columbus. 

1838—1850. 

In  May,  1838,  occurred  the  division  of  the  General 
Assembly,  by  which  the  Presbyterian  Church  became 
divided  into  two  denominations.  The  division  accom- 
plished in  Philadelphia  in  May,  1888,  was  accomplished 
in  the  lower  judicatories  of  the  church  as  they  were  suc- 
cessively convened.  Upon  the  31st  of  July,  1838,  the 
Presbytery  of  Indianapolis  met  at  Franklin,  at  the  call 
of  the  moderator,  Eliphalet  Kent,  for  the  purpose  of  at- 
tending to  any  business  which  the  peculiar  state  of  the 
church  at  the  time,  and  especially  within  the  bounds  of 
the  presbytery,  might  demand. 

We,  happily,  now  have  the  records  of  the  presbytery. 

ACTION    OF   INDIANAPOLIS    PRESBYTERY. 

The  result  of  this  called  meeting  was  that  the  presby- 
tery adhered  to  the  O.  S.  Assembly.  Against  this  ac- 
tion the  Rev.  Eliphalet  Kent,  the  moderator,  the  Rev. 
John  Todd  and  Elder  Simon  Smock,  of  H^ew  Provi- 
dence, protested,  declariog  their  belief  that  the  New 
School  Assembly  was  the  true  Assembly  of  the  Presby- 


44  HISTORY  OF  THE 

terian  church.  The  churches  of  Greenwood,  South 
Marion  and  Eagle  Creek  united  with  these  brethren  in 
their  adhesion  to  the  New  School  Assembly. 

ACTION   OF    PRESBYTERY   OF   CRAWFORDSVILLE. 

A  few  days  previous  to  the  action  of  Indianapolis 
Presbytery,  in  regard  to  the  division  of  the  church,  the 
Presbytery  of  Crawfordsville  had  been  convened  to  hear 
the  report  of  their  commissioners  to  the  Assembly  and 
take  such  action  as  might  be  deemed  necessary.  The 
Crawfordsville  Presbytery,  by  a  very  large  majority,  ad- 
hered to  the  New  School  Assembly;  and  among  the 
churches  adhering  to  the  New  School  Assembly,  were 
the  churches  of  Danville,  Greencastle  and  Putnamville. 
The  church  of  Bloomington,  within  the  Vincennes  Pres- 
bytery, adhered  to  the  0.  S.  Assembly. 

It  was  a  sad  thing  that  irreconcilable  differences 
should  divide  into  two  bodies  the  Presbyterian  church, 
and  make  it  two  denominations.  But  it  was  doubtless 
far  better  that  the  churches  in  which  such  irreconcilable 
diff'erences  existed,  should  be  divided  into  two  denomi- 
nations, each  in  harmony  with  itself,  and  having  frater- 
nal regard  for  the  other,  and  each  gradually  eliminating 
from  itself  the  hindrances  to  a  true  and  lasting  union  to 
be  consummated  in  due  time,  than  to  continue  in  a  state 
of  unceasing  internal  strife,  in  which  there  was  more  of 
nominal  than  real  union,  and  in  which  the  zeal  and 
strength  of  the  church  were  more  expended  in  strife 
upon  its  diff'erences  than  in  pushing  forward  steadily  the 
work  of  evangelization,  in  saving  the  perishing  and  in 
gaining  from  the  world  still  wider  provinces  for  the  do- 
minion of  the  Redeemer.  Blessed  are  our  eyes,  which 
have  seen  the  repellant  differences  eliminated  and  the 
reunion  consummated.  Blessed  will  be  the  work  of  our 
hands  as  laboring  together  in  the  unity  of  the  spirit, 


PBESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  45 

this  union,  thorough  and  complete  as  it  is,  becomes 
more  and  more  efficient  in  accomplishing  the  work 
which  the  Lord  has  given  His  church  to  do. 

GREENCASTLE    FIRST. 

After  the  division  of  the  Assembly  in  1838,  the  Green- 
castle  church  continued  with  the  New  School  Assembly. 
At  the  time  of  the  division,  the  Rev.  J.  R.  Wheelock 
was  ministering  to  it.  But  very  soon  after  this,  he  with- 
drew from  connection  with  the  Presbyterian  church.  In 
the  minutes  of  the  Crawfordsville  Presbytery  (N.  S.) 
there  is  this  record,  made  in  March,  1839  : 

Resolved,  That  the  name  of  James  R.  Wheelock  be  discontinued 
on  our  records,  he  having  left  our  bounds  without  a  dismission  and 
become  connected  (as  we  learn)  with  another  ecclesiastical  body. 

In  the  fall  of  1840,  the  Rev.  James  Shields,  who  had 
been  previously  supplying  for  several  months  the  church 
at  Greencastle,  became  its  pastor.  This  relation  contin- 
ued only  until  1842.  In  1842  an  addition  was  made  to 
the  church  of  fifty-six  persons.  Rev.  Ransom  Hawley 
was  stated  supply  from  February,  1843,  to  the  fall  of 
1845.  The  church  continued  to  increase  in  numbers  du- 
ring these  years.  In  December,  1845,  Rev.  Thomas  S. 
Milligau  became  .stated  supply  of  the  church  and  con- 
tinued in  that  relation  until  1850.  Nineteen  were  ad- 
ded to  the  church  1847.  The  number  of  members 
reported  to  the  General  Assembly  as  in  connection  with 
the  church  in  1850  was  one  hundred  and  ten. 

GREENCASTLE    SECOND. 

In  1849,  the  second  church  of  Greencastle  was  organ- 
ized in  connection  with  the  Presbytery  of  Crawfordsville, 
O.  S.  It  was  organized  by  Rev.  W.  Y.  Allen,  with  thir- 
teen members,  some  of  whom  were  dismissed  by  letter 
from  the  first  church. 


46  HISTOB  Y  OF  THE 

PUTNAMVILLE. 

On  the  26th  of  i^ovember,  1841,  the  Rev.  Ransom 
Hawley  commenced  his  labors  in  the  church  at  Putuam- 
ville,  in  connection  with  the  church  of  Bethany,  Owen 
county,  for  one-half  his  time.  In  1849,  a  new  house  of 
worship  was  erected  at  Putnamville.  In,1850,  the  mem- 
bership reported  to  the  Assembly  was  fifty- seven. 

POPLAR  SPRING,  BAINBRIDGE    AND  CARPENTERSVILLE. 

The  church  of  Poplar  Spring  had  been  divided  in  the  di- 
vision of  the  church.  The  majority  adhered  to  the 
New  School  body.  The  name  of  the  church  was 
changed  in  1843  to  Bainbridge.  It  reported  in  1850,  a 
membership  of  forty-three.  The  Old  School  portion  of 
the  church  were  organized  into  a  separate  body  in  1839. 
They  numbered  at  the  time  of  organization,  seventeen 
members.  This  became  the  Carpentersville  church.  It 
reported  in  1850,  a  membership  of  twenty-seven. 

BLOOMINGTON. 

The  Rev.  Ransom  Hawley,  who,  as  stated  supply  took 
charge  of  the  church  at  Bloomington  in  1834,  contin- 
ued in  that  relation  to  the  church  until  the  tall  of  1841, 
when  he  removed  to  Putnamville.  During  Mr.  Haw- 
ley's  ministry  at  Bloomington,  eighty- three  persons  were 
received  into  the  membership- of  the  church,  thirty-sev- 
en upon  profession,  forty-six  by  letter.  At  this  time  the 
church  of  Bloomington  was  receiving  aid  from  the  Board 
Missions  to  the  amount  of  a  hundred  and  a  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars  a  year. 

In  the  spring  of  1843,  the  Rev.  W.  W.  Martin  removed 
from  Livonia  to  Bloomington,  and  became  stated  supply 
of  the  church.  He  remained  two  years,  and  then  re- 
turned to  Livonia.  During  these  two  years,  twenty- 
six  persons  were  added  to  the  church,  sixteen  by  pro- 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  47 

fession  of  faith,  ten  by  letter.  The  number  of  members 
reported  to  the  Assembly  in  1845,  was  eighty-four.  In 
the  report  of  1846,  this  number  was  reduced  to  sixty- 
eight. 

Upon  the  return  of  Mr.  Martin  to  Livonia,  the  Rev. 
Alfred  Ryors,  Professor  in  the  State  University,  the 
college  having  fjecome  the  State  University  in  1839,  was 
invited  to  supply  the  pulpit  for  a  year,  or  until  a  pastor 
could  be  secured.  Mr.  Ryors  accepted  the  invitation, 
and  ministered  to  the  church  for  a  little  more  than  two 
years,  until  July,  1847.  These  were  years  of  great  bless- 
ing to  the  church.  The  members  of  the  church  had  a 
mind  to  work.  They  sought  and  obtained  the  labors  of 
a  colporteur  to  distribute  tracts  and  religious  books 
among  the  people.  The  congregation  was  divided  into 
districts  by  the  elders,  and  a  persona)  responsibility  for 
each  district  laid  upon  the  elder  to  whose  oversight  it 
was  entrusted.  The  spirit  of  the  Lord  moved  upon  the 
hearts  of  the  people,  and  one  and  another  was  added  to 
the  church.  For  more  than  a  year  this  spirit  of  earn- 
est work  was  manifested  by  the  people.  Doubtless  with 
this  spirit  of  work  there  was  a  spirit  of  prayer.  In  the 
meantime  the  Synod  of  Indiana  met  with  the  church  in 
1846,  no  doubt  strengthening  and  confirming  the  church. 
In  the  spring  of  1847,  there  was  a  deepening  and  grow- 
ing interest.  At  this  time  the  minister  and  session 
sought  for  help.  Upon  the  21st  of  May,  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Nathan  R.  Hall,  of  Kentucky,  came  to  Bloomington  by 
invitation  to  assist  in  a  protracted  meeting.  Dr.  Hall 
preached  for  ten  days,  preaching  at  9  a.  m.,  having  an 
inquiry  and  prayer  meeting  at  3  p.  m.,  and  preaching 
again  at  7  p.  m.,  with  a  meeting  for  prayer,  exhortation 
and  inquiry  following.  During  these  meetings  thirty- 
eight  persons  were  received  upon  profession  of  their 
faith.     A  number  were  received  a  short  time  afterwards. 


48  HISTOB  Y  OF  THE 

The  mimber  received  during  Prof.  Ryors'  ministry  was 
seventy-two,  sixty-three  upon  profession  of  faith,  nine 
by  letter. 

In  July,  1847,  the  Rev.  Levi  Hughes  was  invited  to 
supply  the  church  for  a  year.  Mr.  Hughes  had  been 
received  into  the  church  of  Bloomington  upon  profes- 
sion of  his  faith  not  quite  four  years  before.  He  was 
at  that  time  studying  law.  His  convictions  of  duty  turned 
him  to  preparation  for  the  ministry.  After  he  had 
completed  a  three  years'  course  of  theological  study  in 
the  Seminaries  at  New  Albany  and  Princeton,  he  was 
invited  to  become  the  stated  supply  of  the  church  at 
Bloomington.  He  accepted  the  invitation,  and  after 
this  term  of  service  he  was  called  and  settled  as  pastor. 
This  pastorate  only  continued,  however,  until  the  spring 
of  1851,  when  Mr.  Hughes  removed  to  Logansport,  hav- 
ing accepted  a  call  to  the  first  Presbyterian  church  of 
that  place. 

In  1850,  the  membership  of  the  church  at  Blooming- 
ton as  reported  to  the  General  Assembly,  was  one  hun- 
dred and  twelve. 

COLUMBUS. 

The  historical  records  of  the  church  at  Columbus  are 
very  meagre.  The  Rev.  B.  M.  Nyce  supplied  the  church 
during  a  term  of  years  between  1840  and  1850.  Under 
his  ministry,  the  first  Presbyterian  church  edifice  was 
erected  in  Columbus.  It  was  built  about  the  year  1841, 
mainly  as  a  result  of  Mr.  Nyce's  persistent  and  indom- 
itable energy.  The  church  was  then  very  feeble,  and 
considered  itself  too  poor  for  such  an  undertaking,  Mr. 
Nyce  himself,  aided  by  a  few  ladies,  solicited  subscriptions 
in  material,  work  and  money,  and  when  they  could  get 
no  more  commenced  the  work  and  pressed  it  until  the 
means  were  exhausted.     Then  it  stood  still  and  the  pro- 


PRESBYTEBY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  49 

cess  of  procuring  means  and  then  expending  was  again 
repeated.  Thus  the  work  progressed  until  it  was  final- 
ly completed,  without  debt,  at  a  cost  of  about  twelve 
hundred  dollars. 

Mr.  Nyce's  labors  in  building  the  church,  in  teaching 
in  the  county  Seminary,  which  he  did  for  several  years, 
and  his  preaching  were  spoken  of  in  the  highest  terms 
by  those  who  knew  him  and  his  work.  The  church 
paid  him  a  salary  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  dol- 
lars, all  they  could  raise.  Several  seasons  of  religious 
interest  were  enjoyed  during  his  ministry.  Mr.  !N"yce 
left  Columbus  in  1849.  In  the  fall  of  1849,  Mr.  Charles 
Merwin  was  called  to  supply  the  pulpit  for  one  year. 
During  this  year  several  were  added  to  the  church. 
The  number  of  members  reported  to  the  General  Assem- 
bly of  1850,  was  ninety. 


50  HISTOB  Y  OF  THE 


CHAPTER    V. 

Second  Church  of  Indianapolis — Indianapolis  Presbytery,  N, 
S. — Enlargement  of  Presbytery — Ministerial  Changes — 
Changes  in  Churches — Missionary  Work — Pastoral  Rela- 
tion— Report  to  General  Assembly. 

1840—1850. 

SECOND    CHURCH    OF    INDIANAPOLIS. 

One  of  the  first  important  eft'ects  within  the  Presbytery 
following  the  great  division  in  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
was  the  formation  of  the  Second  Presbyterian  church 
of  Indianapolis.  This  was  organized  by  Rev.  James  H, 
Johnson,  November  19, 1838,  in  the  Marion  county  sem- 
inary, a  small  brick  building  standing,  until  1860,  at  the 
south-west  corner  of  University  Square.  The  original 
members  of  the  church  were  fifteen  in  number.  Their 
names  are  as  follows :  Bethuel  F.  Morris,  Daniel  Yandes, 
Luke  Munsell,  Lawrence  M.  Vance,  Mary  J.  Vance, 
Sidney  Bates,  William  Eckert,  Alexander  H.  Davidson,. 
Robert  Mitchell,  William  S.  Hubbard,  Joseph  F.  Holt^ 
Margaret  R.  Holt,  John  L.  Ketcham,  Jane  Ketcham  and 
Catherine  Merrill.  On  the  20th  of  IsTovember,  the  day 
after  the  organization,  they  issued  a  call  to  Rev.  Sylves- 
ter Holmes,  of  New  Bedford,  Massachusetts.  The  call 
was  declined.  Some  weeks  later,  January  15, 1839,  they 
invited  Rev.  John  C.  Young,  of  Danville,  Kentucky,  ta 
become  their  pastor,  but  this  overture  also  was  unsuc- 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  51 

cessful.  The  Rev.  Elihu  Baldwin,  president  of  Wabash. 
College,  was  solicited  to  take  charge  of  the  new  church. 
He  likewise  declined.  On  the  13th  of  May,  the  Eev. 
Henry  Ward  Beecher,  then  of  Lawrenceburg,  Indiana, 
was  called  to  the  pastorate.  He  accepted  the  call,  and 
entered  upon  his  work  in  the  church  July  31,  1839.  At 
this  time  the  church  had  increased  to  a  membership  of 
thirty-two.  The  county  seminary  was  occupied  for  one 
year  as  a  place  of  worship.  The  church  then  went  into 
its  own  edifice,  occupying  at  first  the  lecture  room. 
Soon,  however,  the  house  was  completed,  and  its  dedica- 
tion occurred  October  4,  1840. 

INDIANAPOLIS    PRESBYTERY,    NEW    SCHOOL. 

A  second  effect  of  importance  following  the  division 
of  the  Presbyterian  church  into  Old  and  New  School, 
was  the  formation  of  the  New  School  Presbytery  of  In- 
dianapolis. 

The  Rev.  Eliphalet  Kent,  and  the  Rev.  John  Todd, 
with  the  churches  within  the  bounds  of  Indianapolis 
Presbytery  adhering  to  the  N.  S.  Assembly,  had,  in  the 
adherence  of  the  majority  of  that  presbytery  to  the  0. 
S.  Assembly,  become  connected  with  the  Presbytery  of 
Madison.  In  October,  1839,  the  synod  of  Indiana,  K. 
S.,  passed  the  following  : 

Resolved,  That  the  Presbyteries  of  Madison  and  Crawfordsville  be 
divided,  and  the  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis  formed,  embracing  the 
following  territory,  viz :  The  counties  of  Morgan,  Johnson,  Shelby, 
Rush,  Hancock,  Henry,  Marion,  Hendricks,  Hamilton  and  Madison. 
Said  presbytery  to  meet  at  Franklin,  on  the  last  Thursday  of  March 
(1840),  at  11  o'clock  a.  m.  The  Rev.  John  Todd,  or  in  his  absence 
the  next  oldest  minister  present,  shall  preach  the  opening  sermon, 
and  preside  until  another  moderator  be  chosen. 

In  accordance  with  the  above  order  of  synod,  the 
Presbytery  of  Indianapolis  (N.  S.)  met  at  the  appointed 
time  at   Franklin.     The  Rev.  John   Todd   havino:  de- 


52  HISTORY  OF  THE 

ceased,  the  sermon  was  preached  by  the  Eev.  Moody- 
Chase.  The  presbytery  was  opened  with  prayer  by  the 
moderator  fro  tem.  The  Eev.  Moody  Chase  was  chosen 
moderator,  and  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  temporary  clerk, 
and  subsequently  stated  clerk.  The  members  present 
were:  Ministers,  A.  G.  Dunning,  Moody  Chase  and 
Henry  Ward  Beecher;  elders,  Garret  Sorter  and  E.  N. 
H.  Adams.  Rev.  E.  Kent,  another  member,  was  absent. 
A.t  an  adjourned  meeting  of  the  presbytery,  held  at  In- 
dianapolis the  next  month  (April),  the  Kev.  P.  S.  Cle- 
land  was  received  by  letter  from  the  Salem  Presbytery. 
The  churches  included  within  the  original  limits  of  the 
presbytery  were  the  following  :  Danville,  Brownsburg, 
New  Winchester,  Second  Indianapolis,  New  Providence 
or  Southport,  Greenwood,  South  Marion,  afterwards  Mt. 
Pleasant,  Eagle  Creek,  Highland,  Sugar  Creek  and 
Batavia. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  General  Assembly  (N.  S.)  in 
1840,  the  territory  in  south-east  Indiana,  which  had  be- 
longed to  the  Synod  of  Cincinnati,  was  attached  to  the 
Synod  of  Indiana.  At  the  meeting  of  the  synod  in  Oc- 
tober, 1840.  so  much  of  the  territory  added  to  the  synod 
by  the  act  of  the  Assembly  as  was  north  of  Decatur  and 
Ripley  counties  was  added  to  the  Presbytery  of  Indian- 
apolis. 

ENLARGEMENT    OF    PRESBYTERY. 

In  October,  1845,  the  presbytery  was  enlarged  by  the 
following  action  of  synod  : 

Resolved,  That  the  county  of  Boone,  embracing  the  Rev.  Thomp- 
son Bh'd  and  the  churches  of  Lebanon,  Bethel  and  Thorntown,  be 
detached  from  the  Presbytery  of  Crawfordsville  and  attached  to  the 
Presbytery  of  Indianapolis;  and  that  the  county  of  Decatur,  em- 
bracing the  Rev.  Jonathan  Cable  and  the  church  of  Sand  Creek,  be 
detached  from  the  Presbytery  of  Madison  and  attached  to  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Indianapolis. 


PBESB  YTER  Y  O  F  INDIA  NA  POLLS.  5  3 

Previous  to  this  enlargement  of  the  presbytery,  there 
was  frequent  faihire  of  a  quorum  at  appointed  times  of 
meeting. 

MINISTERIAL    CHANGES. 

In  October,  1841,  William  N.  Stimson,  who  had  been 
received  as  a  licentiate  from  the  Presbytery  of  Cincin- 
nati, was  ordained  as  an  evangelist  at  a  meeting  of  the 
presbytery  in  Highland  church. 

At  this  meeting  of  presbytery,  Rev.  Alvah  G.  Dun- 
ning was  dismissed  to  the  Presbytery  of  Cincinnati. 
Presbytery  also  appointed  Messrs.  Cleland  and  Chase  to 
visit  and  spend  one  Sabbath  at  Noblesville  before  the 
next  stated  meeting  Likewise  W.  N.  Stimson  and 
Henry  Ward  Beecher  were  to  visit  and  hold  communion 
service  with  the  church  at  Danville,  spending  a  Sabbath 
with  the  church. 

In  April,  1842,  Rev.  Moody  Chase  was  dismissed  to 
the  Presbytery  of  Crawfordsville. 

Presbytery  in  session  at  Danville,  April,  1843,  re- 
ceived from  the  Presbytery  of  Cincinnati  and  ordained 
Mr.  H.  Hanmer,  who  was  ministering,  as  stated  supply 
to  the  church  at  Danville.  "  Mr.  Hanmer,"  writes  one 
of  the  elders  of  the  church  concerning  him,  "  was  a 
young  man  of  talent  and  piety,  and  much  beloved  by  his 
people.  Before  the  close  of  the  first  year  of  his  minis- 
try, he  became  insane  and  was  taken  to  his  home  in 
Connecticut  by  his  friends."  In  1859  his  name  was 
dropped  from  the  roll. 

In  August,  1843,  presbytery,  in  session  at  Indianapo- 
lis, licensed  Mr.  Charles  Beecher.  In  September,  1844, 
he  was  dismissed  to  the  care  of  the  Presbytery  of  Lo- 
gansport. 

In  November,  1845,  Rev.  Benjamin  M.  Nyce  was 
received    from    Salem  Presb3'tery.      April,    1846,    Rev. 


54  HISTORY  OF  THE 

James  McCoy  was  received  from  Logansport  Presbytery. 
Also  B.  F.  Stuart,  a  licentiate,  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Cincinnati  and  ordained.  November, 
1847,  he  was  dismissed  to  Salem. 

April,  1847,  Rev.  Theophilus  Lowry  was  received 
from  the  Presbytery  of  Crawfordsville.  He  was  with 
the  church  of  Danville  until  the  spring  of  1849.  In  Sep- 
tember, 1850,  he  was  dismissed  to  the  Presbytery  of 
Crawfordsville. 

In  September,  1847,  the  labors  of  Henry  Ward  Beecher 
in  the  Second  church  of  Indianapolis  closed,  and  in  Oc- 
tober a  letter  of  dismission  was  granted  to  him  by  pres- 
bytery "  to  join  the  body  with  which  the  Plymouth 
church,  Brooklyn,  New  York,"  was  connected.  From 
the  beginning  of  Mr.  Beecher's  ministry  in  the  Second 
church  there  was  a  gradual  and  hopeful  growth.  In  the 
beginning  of  1842,  a  very  precious  revival  was  experi- 
enced. At  three  communion  seasons,  held  successively 
in  February,  March  and  April,  1842,  nearly  one  hun- 
dred persons  were  added  to  the  church  on  profession  of 
their  faith.  Early  in  the  following  year,  at  the  March 
and  April  communions,  the  church  had  large  accessions, 
as  it  had  also  in  1845.  During  this  pastorate  of  more 
than  eight  years,  the  membership  of  the  church  had 
increased  to  two  hundred  and  seventy-five. 

From  September,  1847,  to  April,  1848,  the  Second 
church  of  Indianapolis  was  temporarily  supplied  by 
Rev.  Shubert  G-ranby  Spees. 

In  September,  1848,  Rev.  Abraham  S.  Avery,  who 
had  been  employed  by  the  missionary  committee  as  the 
missionary  of  the  presbytery,  was  received  from  Patas- 
kala  Presbytery,  Ohio. 

Mr.  Avery  was  soon  prostraited  by  sickness,  and  unable 
to  continue  his  missionary  labors.     In  his  sickness  he 


PRESB  YTER  Y  OF  INDIANA POLIS.  55 

was  not  forsaken  by  his  brethren,  but  received  their 
sympathies  and  substantial  aid,  while  the  funds  contrib- 
uted to  missionary  purposes  were  employed  in  securing, 
during  the  summer  of  1849,  at  twenty  dollars  per  month, 
the  labors  of  Mr.  George  Davis,  a  licentiate  of  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Cincinnati. 

October,  1848,  Clement  E.  Babb,  a  licentiate  of  the 
Presbytery  of  Dayton,  was  received.  A  call  from  the 
Second  church  of  Indianapolis  having  been  placed  in  his 
hands,  and  having  signified  his  acceptance,  he  was  or- 
dained and  installed  pastor  of  the  church. 

October,  1848,  Rev.  W.  H.  Rogers  was  received  from 
the  Presbytery  of  Cincinnati. 

April,  1849,  Amos  Jones,  a  licentiate  of  the  Presby- 
tery of  Cincinnati,  was  received.  At  an  adjourned 
meeting  of  presbytery  in  May,  he  was  ordained.  He 
was  stated  supply  of  the  church  at  Danville  until  1853. 

September,  1849,  Rev,  Sylvanus  Warren,  of  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Athens,  Ohio,  was  received.  His  labors  were 
connected  with  the  American  Tract  Society.  In  Sep- 
tember, 1850,  he  was  dismissed  to  Salem. 

Also,  in  September,  1849,  Rev.  Benjamin  F.  Cole,  of 
the  Presbytery  of  Crawfordsville,  was  received.  A  call 
from  the  churches  of  Thorntown  and  Bethel  was  put 
into  his  hands,  and,  having  accepted  the  call,  a  commit- 
tee was  appointed  to  install  him.  His  installation  was 
reported  at  the  next  meeting  of  presbytery. 

April,  1850,  James  McCoy  was  dismissed  to  Presbytery 
of  Salem. 

CHANGES    IN    CHURCHES. 

In  August,  1842,  the  New  Pisgah  church  was  organ- 
ized. 

In  September,  1844,  the  organization  of  Stoney  Creek 
church  was  reported  to  presbytery  in  session  at  Nobles- 


"  56  \HISTOR  Y  OF  THE 

ville.  Also  the  organization  of  a  church  at  Edinburgh 
was  reported,  and  it  was  further  ordered  that  the  mem- 
bers of  the  church  of  Batavia,  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Edinburg,  be  enrolled  among  the  members  of  the  church 
at  Edinburg,  and  the  name  of  the  church  of  Batavia  be 
dropped  from  the  roll. 

April  1846,  the  organization  of  the  church  of  Ander- 
sontown  was  reported,  also  of  the  churches  of  Pendle- 
ton and  Upper  Sugar  Creek.  Thes^  two  last  churches, 
however,  seem  to  have  never  been  fully  organized,  and 
they  had  but  a  short  and  sickly  existence.  April,  1847, 
the  organization  of  a  church  at  Greenfield,  Hancock 
county,  was  reported. 

September,  1850,  the  Sand  Creek  and  Clarksburg 
churches  sent  a  request  to  the  presbytery  for  permission 
to  unite  with  the  Felicity  Presbytery  of  the  Free  Pres- 
byterian church.  The  request  was  complied  with,  and 
the  names  of  these  churches  dropped  from  the  roll. 

MISSIONARY  COMMITTEE. 

April,  1848,  Rev.  J.  Cable,  Rev.  E.  Kent  and  Dr.  W. 
H.  Wishard,  were  appointed  a  committee  to  employ  a 
missionary.  A  co-operating  committee  of  one  from 
each  church  in  the  presbytery  was  appointed  to  raise 
funds  for  the  support  of  the  missionary.  This  mission- 
ary committee  was  more  than  a  nominal  one.  It  suc- 
ceeded in  accomplishing  missionary  work. 

REPORT    OF  HOME  MISSIONARY  COMMITTEE. 

September,  1849,  the  Committee  on  Home  Missions 
made  the  following  report,  which  was  adopted : 

"The  survey  of  our  field  of  labor  awakens  painful  feelings.  So 
much  territory  lying  waste,  nominally  under  our  care  yet  never  rep- 
resented at  our  meetings.  Your  committee  recommend  a  more  sys- 
tematic effort  to  meet  the  wants  of  the  perishing  souls,  which  Prov- 
idence has  ci-owded  around  us.     And  to  secure  this  object,  they  sug- 


PRESB YTEB  Y  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  57 

gest,  that  presbytery  elect  annually  a  Board  on  vacancies,  sup- 
plies and  destitutions,  to  consist  of  two  ministers  and  one  elder, 
which  shall  meet  as  often  as  once  in  two  months,  and  may  meet 
oftener  in  case  of  special  business.  That  this  Board  be  instructed 
to  secure  men  for  our  vacant  churches  and  destitute  territory  as 
fast  as  possible.  That  this  Board  have  no  power  to  pledge  the  pres- 
bytery for  money  without  a  special  vote,  but  that  the  presbytery 
recommend  them  and  their  work  to  all  our  churches,  and  will  vol- 
untarily aid  them  in  raising  funds  for  such  objects  as  they  present. 
That  the  churches  that  have  no  stated  preaching  be  directed  to  apply 
to  the  Board  between  the  meetings  of  presbytery  for  supplies,  and 
that  the  Board  secure  members  of  presbytery  to  visit  those  places 
occasionally. 

COMMITTEE  ON  PASTORAL  RELATION. 

The  presbytery,  with  its  increasing  strength,  and  gird- 
ing itself  for  presbyterial  mission  work,  took  also  the 
following  action  respecting  the  pastoral  relation  : 

Presbytery  believes  that  it  is  the  policy  and  interest  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church,  and  that  it  would  be  for  the  glory  of  God  and  the 
good  of  the  community  at  large,  to  establish  a  permanent  relation 
between  the  preachers  and  the  people,  according  to  our  excellent 
form  of  government,  Chapters  15  and  16,  which  provides  for  and 
enjoins  the  settling  of  a  pastor  over  every  church,  when  it  shall  be 
practicable.  That  for  the  want  of  such  permanent  relation,  the 
churches  are  suffering,  not  onlj^  the  want  of  the  stated  means  of 
grace,  but  all  the  interests  of  the  church  are  languishing.  Semina- 
ries and  schools.  Sabbath  schools,  Tract  distribution.  Missionary 
operations,  and  all  the  means  of  building  up  an  intelligent  church 
and  evangelizing  the  world,  are  entirely  wanting  or  are  in  a  lan- 
guishing condition.     Therefore 

Resolved,  1st,  That  we  advise  every  church  to  secure  a  permanent 
pastor  as  speedily  as  possible. 

Resolved,  2d,  That  this  presbytery  will  not,  unless  for  very  pecu- 
liar reasons,  agree  to  grant  the  relation  of  stated  supply  between  a 
minister  and  church  longer  than  one  year. 

REPORT  OF  COMMITTEE  ON  PASTORAL  RELATION. 

September,  1849,  the  Committee  on  the  Pastoral  Rela- 
tion made  the  following  report : 


58  HISTOB  Y  OF  THE 

That  the  churches  of  Greenwood,  New  Providence  and  South 
Marion  have  been  enjoying  the  labors  of  Brother  Cleland  for  many 
years  without  installing  him  pastor,  and  they  recommend  that  pres- 
bytery appoint  a  committee  to  meet  those  churches  and  confer  with 
them  on  the  subject  between  this  and  the  first  day  of  December, 
and  secure,  if  they  can,  a  compliance  with  the  rule  of  presbytery 
on  the  subject. 

Messrs.  Babb  and  McCoy,  were  appointed  a  committee  as  above 
recommended. 

As  the  result  of  this  action,  a  call  for  the  pastoral  ser- 
vices of  P.  S.  Cleland  was  made  by  the  churches  to 
which  he  had  been  so  long  ministering,  and  in  May, 
1850,  he  was  installed  by  a  committee  of  presbytery. 
The  pastorate  was  happy  and  endured  for  many  years. 

REPORT    OF    1850    TO  GENERAL  ASSEMBLY. 

The  Presbytery  reported  to  the  Assembly  of  1850, 
thirteen  ministers,  twenty-one  churches  and  eight  hun- 
dred and  twenty-one  members.  Of  these  churches,  ten, 
containing  six  hundred  and  twenty -five  members,  were 
within  the  boundaries  of  the  present  Presbytery  of 
Indianapolis. 


PBESB YTER  Y  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  59 


CHAPTER    Yl. 

Presbytery  of  Indianapolis,  0.  S. — Churches  Organized — 
Ministerial  Changes — Lessons  from  the  History  of  Frank- 
lin Church — Ministerial  Support — Missionary  Work — 
Organization  of  Whitewater  Presbytery,  and  Changes  in 
the  Boundaries  of  the  Presbytery. 

1838—1850. 

PRESBYTERY    OF   INDIANAPOLIS,    OLD    SCHOOL. 

We  turn  now  to  the  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis,  Old 
School. 

In  the  fall  of  1838,  the  pastoral  relation  between  the 
church  of  Hopewell  and  Rev.  D.  Monfort  was  dissolved, 
that  Mr.  Monfort  might  give  his  undivided  labors  to  the 
church  at  Franklin.  Application  was  made  through 
the  presbytery  to  the  Board  of  Missions  for  aid  to  the 
amount  of  two  hundred  dollars.  The  salary  was  five 
hundred.  The  presbytery  returned  the  application  to  the 
church  with  directions  that  they  make  a  vigorous  effort 
to  increase  the  amount  subscribed  for  their  pastor's  sup- 
port. This  vigorous  effort  resulted  in  cutting  down  the 
application  to  the  Board  of  Missions  to  one  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars. 

CHURCHES  ORGANIZED. 

May  18th,  1838,  Rev.  David  V.  Smock  organized  a 
church  at  Greenfield,  styled  Hancock  church.  Wm.  T. 
Templeton,  an  elder  from  said  church,  was  admitted  to  a 


60  HISTORY  OF   THE 

seat  in  presbytery.  Supplies  were  appointed  for  several 
successive  years  for  this  church.  A  new  church  was 
organized  in  connection  with  the  New  School  Presbytery 
in  the  spring  of  1847. 

September,  1839,  the  organization  of  a  church  at  An- 
dersontown  was  reported  to  presbytery.  Rev.  Robert 
Irwin  was  appointed  to  supply  it  one  Sabbath.  In  June, 
1846,  the  name  of  this  church  was  dropped  from  the  roll. 
In  1846,  the  organization  of  a  church  at  Andersontown 
was  reported  to  the  New  School  Presbytery. 

The  Presbytery  of  Oxford  having  organized  the 
churches  of  Muncietown  and  Stony  Creek,  supposing 
said  churches  to  be  within  their  territory,  and  having 
reported  these  facts  to  the  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis, 
these  churches  were  taken  under  the  care  and  placed 
upon  the  roll  of  presbytery  in  1839. 

The  organization  of  the  following  churches  is  reported 
in  successive  years: 

New  Burlington,  April,  1841, 

Middletown,  April,  1842. 

Union,  Decatur  county,  April,  1843. 

Amity,  Hamilton  county,  April,  1844. 

Windsor,  Randolph  county,  April,  1844. 

Newcastle,  April,  1844. 

Yorktown,  September,  1845. 

Concord,  Rush  county,  September,  1845. 

Georgetown,  Brown  county,  December,  1845. 

Napoleon,  September,  1846. 

Harmony,  Bartholomew  county,  April,  1848. 

New  Prospect,  Johnson  county,  September,  1850. 

MINISTERIAL    CHANGES. 

Mr.  Joseph  G.  Monfort  was  received  October  1838,  as 
a  licentiate  from  the  Presbytery  of  Oxford,  He  became 
supply  of  the  Greensburg  and   Sand  Creek  churches  for 


PRESB  YTER  Y  OF  INDIA  NA  P0LI8.  61 

six  months,  giving  to  each  church  one  half  his  time. 
April,  1839,  he  was  ordained  and  installed  pastor  of  these 
congregations.  October,  1842,  he  was  released  from  the 
pastoral  care  of  these  churches  to  prosecute  an  agency 
for  the  endowment  of  the  Theological  Seminary  at  New 
Albany.  May,  1845,  he  was  again  installed  pastor  of  the 
church  at  Greensburg. 

W.  G.  Holliday  was  dismissed  to  Crawfordsville  Pres- 
bytery, October,  1838. 

April,  1839,  Rev.  Robert  Irwin  and  Rev.  Michael  Car- 
penter were  received  from  the  Presbytery  of  Oxford. 

Rev.  Robert  Irwin  was  supply  of  the  church  at  Mun- 
cietowu.  He  received  a  call  to  the  church  in  1843,  for 
one  half  of  his  time,  and  was  installed  pastor.  The 
name  of  the  church  was  changed  in  1846,  to  Muncie, 

April,  1839,  the  pastoral  relation  between  J.  W.  Mc- 
Kennan  and  first  church  at  Indianapolis  was  dissolved. 
By  request  of  the  church,  Mr.  McKennan  was  appointed 
supply  of  the  church  until  next  meeting  of  presbytery. 

September,  1839,  a  call  having  been  given  to  Rev. 
James  W.  McKennan  by  the  congregation  of  Cross 
Roads,  Washington  Presbytery,  and  he  having  stated 
his  acceptance  of  the  call,  it  was  ordered  "that  he  be 
furnished  with  the  proper  testimonials  and  be  required 
to  repair  to  the  Presbytery  of  Washington,  that  the 
proper  steps  may  be  taken   for  his  regular  settlement." 

September,  1839,  Wm.  Sickles  became  supply  of  Shi- 
loh  for  one  half  of  his  time.  April,  1843,  he  was  dis- 
missed to  the  Presbytery  of  Oxford,  again  received  from 
Oxford  September,  1844,  and  in  June,  1846,  dismissed  to 
the  Presbytery  of  Madison. 

April,  1839,  J.  S.  Weaver  was  dismissed  to  the  Pres- 
byter}'^  of  Oxford. 

April,  1840,  Rev.  Sayrs  Gazely  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Cincinnati,  a  call  having  been  presented 


62  HISTORY  OF  THE 

to  him  by  the  church  of  Hopewell.  Having  accepted 
it,  he  was  installed  the  third  Saturday  of  May,  by  W. 
Sickles  and  D.  Monfort,  a  committee  of  presbytery. 
In  April,  1842,  this  pastoral  relation  was  dissolved. 

November,  1840,  Mr.  Colvin  McKinney,  a  licentiate  of 
Oxford  Presbytery,  was  received,  and  it  being  deemed 
necessary  that  he  should  be  invested  with  full  ministerial 
power  in  the  churches  of  Shelbyville  and  St.  Omar  in 
which  he  was  laboring,  he  was  ordained  as  an  evangel- 
ist. Of  his  examination  we  find  these  records:  "Mr. 
McKinney  delivered  his  sermon,  which  was  not  deemed 
satisfactory,  it  being  partly  extemporaneous.  Resolved, 
that  Presbytery  require  of  Mr.  McKinney  a  written  dis- 
course on  the  subject  assigned  as  a  part  of  trial  with- 
out regarding  the  unwritten  sermon  preached  before  us 
yesterday  as  any  part  of  trial.  Mr.  McKinney  presented 
a  written  sermon  on  the  subject  assigned,  after  which 
he  was  further  examined  on  Theology,  which  sermon 
and  examination  were  sustained."  June,  1843,  Mr.  Mc- 
Kinney was  dismissed  to  Oxford  Presbytery. 

In  December,  1840,  Mr.  Phineas  D.  Gurley,  a  licenti- 
ate of  the  Presbytery  of  jSTorth  River,  was  received,  or- 
dained and  installed  pastor  of  the  First  church  at  In- 
dianapolis. In  June,  1842,  the  church  determined  to 
build  a  new  house  of  worship.  It  was  occupied  in 
May,  1843,  and  completed  in  1846,  at  a  cost  of  between 
eight  and  nine  thousand  dollars.  In  the  second  year  of 
Mr.  Gurley's  ministry,  forty-two  members  were  received 
upon  profession  of  their  faith.  For  four  successive 
years  the  church  was  increased  with  goodly  numbers  on 
profession  of  their  faith.  In  November,  1849,  the  pas- 
toral relation  of  Mr.  Grurley  to  the  church  was  dissolved. 
There  was  received  into  it  during  his  ministry,  two  hun- 
dred and  seventeen  persons,  one  hundred  and  fifty-eight 


PRESB  YTER  F  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  6  3 

of  these  upon  profession  of  their  faith,  and  fifty-nine  by 
letter.  The  total  membership  reported  to  the  General 
Assembly  in  1850,  was  two  hundred  and  six. 

In  February,  1843,  the  pastoral  relation  between  D.  V. 
Smock  and  the  church  at  Knightstown  was  dissolved. 
June,  1843,  calls  from  the  churches  of  Hopewell  and  Shi- 
loh  were  put  by  presbytery  into  his  hands.  He  accept- 
ing, was  installed  by  committee  of  presbytery.  This 
pastoral  relation  was  dissolved  in  July,  1850. 

September,  1845,  John  Dale,  a  licentiate  of  Salem 
Presbytery,  was  received,  ordained  and  installed  as  pas- 
tor ot  the  church  at  Knightstown,  for  two-thirds  of  his 
time.  This  pastoral  relation  was  dissolved  in  March, 
1850,  and  in  April  following,  Mr.  Dale  was  dismissed  to 
the  Presbytery  of  Logansport. 

August,  1843,  George  S.  Rea,  who  had  previously 
been  received  as  a  licentiate  from  the  Presbyter}/  of  Ox- 
ford, was  ordained  and  installed  as  pastor  of  the  church 
of  Ebenezer.  This  pastoral  relation  was  dissolved  April, 
1844.  Mr.  Pea  was  dismissed  September,  1846,  to  the 
Presbj'tery  of  Iowa. 

The  Rev.  T.  A.  Hendricks,  who  had  been  licensed  by 
the  presbytery  April,  1841,  was  ordained  and  installed 
pastor  of  the  churches  of  St.  Omar  and  Shelbyville. 
This  pastoral  relation  was  dissolved  April,  1845,  on  ac- 
count of  ill  health  of  the  pastor,  disabling  him  for  his 
work.  Mr.  Hendricks  was  dismissed  April,  1847,  to  the 
Presbytery  of  Vincennes. 

In  October,  1846,  the  Rev.  Francis  Monfort  was  re- 
ceived from  the  Presbytery  of  Oxford  and  installed  over 
the  churches  of  St.  Omar  and  Concord. 

September,  1847,  J.  M.  Wampler,  a  licentiate  of  Ox- 
ford Presbytery  was  received.  He  ministered  to  the 
church   of   Shelbyville,  and  was    ordained  June,   1848. 


64  HISTORY  OF  THE 

He  was  dismissed  April,  1849,   to   the   Presbytery    ot 
Logansport. 

In  September,  1844,  B.  F.  Woods,  a  licentiate  of  Sa- 
lem Presbytery,  was  received.  In  May,  1845,  he  was 
ordained  and  installed  pastor  of  the  Bethany  and  New 
Providence  churches.  This  pastoral  relation  was  dis- 
solved April,  1848. 

J.  C,  King,  a  candidate  under  the  care  of  the  presby- 
tery, was  licensed  April,  1844.  September,  1845,  he  was 
ordained  and  installed  pastor  of  the  church  of  Sand 
Creek  for  one-half  his  time. 

D.  A.  Wallace,  a  candidate  under  care  of  presbytery, 
was  licensed  April,  1844.  In  June,  1847,  he  was  or- 
dained and  installed  as  pastor  of  the  church  of  George- 
town for  one-half  his  time.  This  pastoral  relation  was 
not  of  long  continuapce.  Mri  Wallace  was  dismissed  to 
the  Presbytery  of  White  Water  July,  1849. 

In  April,  1844,   W.  A.  HoUiday  was  received  from^ 
the  Presbytery  of  Oxford.     September,  1847,  Mr.  HoUi- 
day's  name  was  dropped  from  the  roll,  he  having  united 
with  the  Associate  Reformed  Church.     April,  1849,  be 
was  again  received  from  that  body. 

April,  1848,  John  Koss  was  received  from  Presbytery 
of  Oxford. 

September,  1848,  D.  D.  McKee  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Alleghany. 

July,  1849,  Henry  I.  Coe,  a  licentiate  of  the  Presby- 
tery oi  New  Brunswick,  w^as  received.  He  was  ordained 
March,  1850. 

At  the  same  time,  Hugh  Marshall  was  received  on 
probation  as  a  foreign  minister  from  the  Presbytery  of 
Armagh,  Scotland.  A  few  months  afterwards  he  was 
dismissed  to  the  Presbytery  of  Green  Brier. 

March,  1850,  Isaac  L.  Lyon,  a  candidate  under  the 
care  of  Albany  Presbytery,  was  received  and  ordained. 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  65 

September,  1850,  lie  was  dismissed  to  the  Presbytery  of 
Iowa. 

July,  1850,  James  Gallatin  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Iowa. 

September,  1850,  the  pastoral  relation  between  Dr. 
David  Monfort  and  the  church  of  Franklin  was  dis- 
solved. Dr.  Monfort  was  also  granted  a  letter  of  dismis- 
sion to  the  Presbytery  of  White  Water.  Presbytery 
passed  the  following  resolutions  : 

Resolved,  1st,  That  in  dismissing  Dr.  Monfort,  for  twenty  years  a 
father  in  the  presbytery,  we  can  not  do  justice  to  our  feelings  with- 
out expressing  gratitude  to  the  Head  of  the  church,  who  has  so  long 
spared  to  us  his  valuable  life,  labors  and  counsels.  We  shall  part 
with  him  with  sincere  regret,  and  our  best  wishes  and  prayers  shall 
follow  him  to  any  new  sphere  to  which  he  may  be  called. 

2d,  That  a  copy  of  this  minute  be  sent  with  the  dismission,  prop- 
erly certified. 

3d,  That  the  presbytery  sympathize  with  Dr.  Monfort's  late 
charge  in  their  destitution,  and  hope  they  may  be  soon  supplied  by 
a  regular  pastor,  and  be  eminently  prospered  by  the  King  of  Zion. 

FRANKLIN. 

Judge  Banta,  in  his  history  of  the  Franklin  church, 
gives  succinct  statements  of  the  blessed  results  of  this 
long  pastorate.  He  also  gives  illustrations  in  his  narra- 
tive of  facts  of  the  baleful  and  blighting  results  of  bitter- 
ness, alienations  and  strifes  upon  the  interests  of  the 
church,  the  salvation  of  souls,  and  the  glory  of  Christ. 
Such  teachings  from  the  history  of  any  of  our  churches 
ough  not  to  be  forgotten. 

In  the  history  of  the  church  of  Franklin,  alluded  to, 
these  statements  are  made:  "During  the  years  of  Dr. 
Monfort's  preaching  here,  the  record  shows  that  two 
hundred  and  seventy-nine  in  all  united  with  the  church, 
one  hundred  and  forty-nine  on  profession,  and  one  hun- 
dred and  forty-eight  on  certificate.     In  1839,  from  July 


66  HISTOR  Y  OF  THE 

21st  to  28th,  eighteen  converts  were  admitted.  From 
this  on  to  1842,  yearly  additions  both  on  certificate  and 
examination  were  made,  but  no  special  manifestation  of 
God's  grace  appears  until  January  of  that  year,  when 
from  the  5th  of  that  month  to  the  19th  of  the  month  fol- 
lowing, thirty-seven  were  taken  into  the  church  on  pro- 
fession. This  ingathering  brought  the  membership,  at 
the  date  of  the  presbyterial  report,  made  in  April  of  the 
following  year,  up  to  one  hundred  and  eighty-seven. 
But  from  thence  on  to  1851,  a  period  of  nine  years, 
there  was  a  slow  but  sure  decline."  "  Right  here,"  says 
Judge  Banta,  "  one  of  the  most  impressive  lessons  which 
the  history  of  this  church  presents  may  be  learned. 
During  the  years  which  mark  the  decline  of  this  church 
under  Dr.  Monfort's  pastorate,  a  bitter  and  unrelenting 
personal  warfare  was  waged  between  certain  of  the 
members.  I  know  nothing  of  the  merits  of  this  contro- 
versy ;  I  know  not  who  was  right  and  who  was  wrong. 
But  for  an  examination  of  the  records,  I  would  not  have 
known  of  any  difficulty  at  all,  and  I  therefore  censure 
no  man,  no  party ;  I  only  note  the  fact  of  the  dissension. 
No  doubt  during  these  gloomy  years  the  pastor  preached 
with  all  the  clearness  that  marked  his  sermons  of  former 
years ;  no  doubt  his  appeals  were  as  persuasive  and  his 
exhortations  as  eloquent;  no  doubt  sinners  felt  the  ar- 
rows of  conviction,  but  the  war  within  the  camp  went 
furiously  on,  and  inquirers  sought  other  folds  or  turned 
their  backs  on  the  church  forever.  All  the  actors  in 
that  whirl  of  strife  are  dead  save  one.  Their  bodies  have 
returned  to  the  dust,  and  their  sad  difficulties  have  dis- 
appeared with  them.  The  merits  of  their  controversy 
no  one  now  knows  or  cares  to  know.  How  insignificant 
it  must  have  been,  and  yet  how  baleful  in  its  influence 
upon  the  cause  of  Christianity.     Brethren,  let  us  take 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  67 

the  lesson  to  our  hearts.  Forever  let  us  sink  out  of 
sight  and  memory  every  element  of  controversy,  every 
vestige  of  discord." 

SUPPORT    OF    THE    MINISTRY. 

From  the  begining,  presbytery  was  clear  and  decided 
in  its  teachings,  and  in  the  use  of  its  authority  as  to  the 
support  of  the  ministry.  In  September,  1838,  the  fol- 
lowing overture  was  presented :  Should  not  every 
church  have  one  or  more  deacons  regularly  elected  and 
ordained,  to  take  care  of  the  poor  and  manage  the  pe- 
cuniary matters  of  the  church  ?  This  was  answered  in 
the  affirmative,  and  the  churches  which  had  not  deacons 
were  directed  to  have  that  office  filled  so  soon  as  prac- 
ticable. 

In  April,  1839,  the  following  resolutions  are  passed : 

Resolved,  ]  st,  That  presbytery  earnestly  recommend  to  the  early 
attention  of  their  churches  the  minute  adopted  at  the  last  session 
of  presbytery  as  to  the  election  and  ordination  of  deacons. 

Resolved,  2d,  That  the  special  and  faithful  attention  of  the  dea- 
cons be  requested  to  the  prompt  collection  of  the  pastor's  support 
regularly  ;  and  that  the  members  of  the  churches  be  earnestly  so- 
licited both  to  subscribe  sufficient  amounts  for  the  comfortable 
support  of  their  pastor  or  supply,  and  also  to  make  that  subscrip- 
tion available  for  such  purpose  by  its  being  regularly  paid. 

At  this  same  meeting  of  presbytery,  the  churches 
were  called  upon  to  report  settlement  with  their  pastors 
and  supplies.  All  reported  full  settlement,  except  the 
churches  of  Franklin  and  Rushville.  These  were  di- 
rected to  settle  their  arrearages,  and  present  the  evidence 
of  a  settlement  with  their  pastors  at  the  next  stated 
meeting. 

Th0  following  resolution  was  also  passed  : 

Resolved,  That  it  be  enjoined  upon  the  deacons  of  our  churches 
to  report  to  presbytery,  at  its  regular  meetings,  the  state  of  the  ac- 
counts between  congregations  and  their  pastors,  the  nature  and 


68  HISTORY  OF  THE 

extent  of  their  pecuniary  engagements  with  each  other,  shewing 
the  exact  amounts  unsettled,  together  with  the  general  character 
of  their  respective  congregations  in  meeting  all  congregational  en- 
gagements. The  foregoing  is  charged  as  an  oflBcial  duty,  which 
deacons  may  not  neglect. 

MISSIONARY   LABORS    OF    PRESBYTERY. 

An  earnest  application  was  sent  to  the  Board  of  Mis- 
sions by  the  commissioner  to  the  General  Assembly,  in 
1840,  that  at  least  one  missionary  should  be  sent  that 
year  to  labor  within  the  bounds  of  the  presbytery. 

At  the  spring  meeting  of  the  presbytery  in  1841,  the 
presbytery  was  divided  into  four  districts  for  missionary 
labor.  Two  ministers  were  assigned  to  each  district, 
and  the  duty  laid  upon  them  of  performing  at  least  two 
weeks  missionary  labor  in  their  several  districts  before 
the  next  stated  meeting  of  presbytery. 

This  scheme  of  labor  was  afterwards  modified,  but  in 
various  ways  much  missionary  labor  was  done  by  the 
members  of  presbytery. 

MEETINGS    OF    PRESBYTERY. 

The  meetings  of  presbytery  were  made  meetings  for 
preaching  and  holding  religious  services,  and  reaching 
the  people  through  them,  as  well  as  for  the  transaction 
of  ecclesiastical  business.  Special  topics  were  assigned 
before  hand,  and  several  special  discourses  were  fre- 
quently preached  during  a  meeting  of  presbytery.  Pres- 
byteries met  generally  on  Thursday,  and  continued  in 
session  until  after  the  Sabbath.  At  the  second  meeting 
of  presbytery  at  Muncie,  in  August,  1842,  which  begun 
on  Thursday  night  and  continued  until  after  Sabbath,  it 
was  resolved  to  hold  an  intermediate  meeting  before  the 
regular  spring  meeting.  The  time  fixed  for  this  meet- 
ing was  October.  It  was  held  with  the  Lewisville 
church  in  Rush  county,  a  church  whose  name  was  short- 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  69 

ly  afterward  changed  to  Ebeiiezer.  The  following  were 
the  appointments  for  preaching  at  this  intermediate 
meeting  : 

W.  Sickles,  on  "  Faith." 

D.  Monfort,  on  ''  Baptism." 

P.  D.  Gurley,  on  "  Prayer." 

R.  Irwin,  on  "  Repentance." 

J.  G.  Monfort,  on  "  The  Judgment." 

These  intermediate  meetings,  with  preaching  upon 
special  topics,  were  held  for  several  years.  They  doubt- 
less were  designed  for  accomplishing  missionary  work. 

WHITE  WATER    PRESBYTERY. 

In  1848,  the  General  Assembly,  upon  overture  from 
the  Synod  of  Indiana,  made  the  line  between  the  States  of 
Indiana  and  Ohio  the  line  between  the  Synods  of  Indiana 
and  Cincinnati.  The  Synod  of  Indiana  in  session  at 
Hanover,  October  1848,  ordered  the  formation  of  the 
Presbytery  of  White  Water,  embracing  the  counties  of 
Ohio,  Dearborn,  Ripley,  Decatur,  Franklin,  Rush,  Fay- 
ette, Union  and  so  much  of  the  counties  of  Henry  and 
Wayne  as  lies  south  of  the  National  road,  or  in  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Indianapolis,  except  the  church  at  Knights- 
town. 

PRESBYTERY    OF  MUNCIE. 

October,  1848,  the  Synod  of  Indiana  also  ordered  the 
organization  of  the  Presbytery  of  Muncie.  In  1849,  the 
General  Assembly  made  the  I^ational  Road  the  dividing 
line  between  the  Synods  of  Indiana  and  northern  Indi- 
ana. By  this  action,  the  First  church  of  Indianapolis 
and  Rev.  P.  D.  Gurley  and  Rev.  W.  A.  Holliday,  were 
transferred  to  the  Presbytery  of  Muncie,  and  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Indianapolis,  Old  School,  was  without  a  ghurch 
in  Indianapolis. 


70  HISTORY  OF  THE 

BLOOMINGTON. 

By  order  of  Synod  in  October,  1848,  Monroe  county, 
with  the  church  of  Bloomington,  then  in  the  Presbytery 
of  New  Albany,  was  added  to  the  Presbytery  of  Indian- 
apolis. Levi  Hughes,  pastor  elect  of  the  church  of 
Bloomington,  a  licentiate  of  Presbytery  of  New  Albany, 
was  also  received.  He  was  ordained  and  installed  pas- 
tor November  3d,  1848. 

'       OWEN  AND  PUTNAM  COUNTIES. 

The  Synod  in  1849,  further  enlarged  the  presbytery 
by  adding  to  it  Owen  county,  and  the  part  of  Putnam 
county  south  of  the  National  Road  with  the  church  of 
Vandalia,  and  Rev.  Thomas  Whallon. 


PRESBYTERY  Of  INDIANAPOLIS.  71 


CHAPTER    VII. 

Vieio  of  the  Field  from  Reports  of  Indiana  Gazetteer — 
Number  of  Old  and  New  School  Churches  and  their 
increase  in  Membership — Progress  and  Prosperity  of  the 
countty. 

Looking  at  the  field  occupied  by  the  present  Presby- 
tery of  Indianapolis,  we  find  from  the  imperfect  sketches 
of  the  Indiana  Gazetteer,  published  in  1849,  the  follow- 
ing statements  respecting  the  occupation  of  this  field 
by  other  denominations.  These  statements,  combined 
with  the  United  States  census  reports  of  185Q,  will  give 
us  a  more  thorough  knowledge  of  the  field  and  its  re- 
ligious condition  than  we  can  perhaps  otherwise  obtain. 
There  is  no  statement  made  of  the  churches  and  ministers 
in  Bartholomew  county.  Its  population  in  1850  was 
12,486.  In  Brown  county,  "  there  are  six  churches,  one 
for  each  of  the  denominations  of  Presbyterians,  Metho- 
dists, United  Brethren,  Christian,  (or  Campbellite)  Old 
Christian,  (or  New  Light,)  and  Baptists."  The  popula- 
tion was  4,846.  In  Hancock  county  there  are  "  twelve 
churches,  mostly  belonging  to  the  Methodists  and  Bap- 
tists." There  are  "  five  lawyers,  fourteen  ph^^sicians^ 
thirteen  preachers."  The  population  was  9,686.  In 
Hendricks  county,  "  the  prevailing  religious  denomina- 
tions are  Methodists,  Baptists,  Christians,  Friends,  Pres- 
byterians and  Lutherans."    There  are  thirty-six  churches 


72  HISTORY  OF  THE 

and  twenty  ministers  of  the  Gospel.  The  lawyers  num- 
ber six,  and  physicians  twenty.  The  populaticfn  is  14,083. 
In  Johnson  county  there  are  "  twenty-two  churches, 
mostly  belonging  to  the  Baptists,  Methodists  and  Pres- 
byterians." There  are  "  five  lawyers,  twenty-one  physi- 
cians, twenty-nine  preachers."  The  population  was 
12,100.  Marion  county  is  described  as  having  "  forty 
lawyers,  fifty  physicians,  forty  preachers  and  thirty-six 
churches,  of  which  the  Methodists  are  most  numerous, 
then  follow  'Baptists,  Christians,  Presbyterians,  Luther- 
ans, Friends,  Episcopalians,  Catholics,  Seceders,  Univer- 
salists,  etc."  The  population  of  Marion  county  in  1850, 
was  24,103.  Of  Morgan  county  it  is  said  "  the  religious 
denominations  which  have  erected  churches  are  as  fol- 
lows :  Cumberland  Presbyterians  one,  Lutherans  one. 
Baptists  five,  Reformers  or  Christians  ten,  Friends  three, 
Methodists  fourteen."  There  are  "  seven  lawyers,  twen- 
ty physicians,  thirty  preachers."  The  population  was 
14,576.  Of  Monroe  county  the  chronicler  facetiously  re- 
marks, there  are  "  nine  lawyers,  ten  physicians,  and 
preachers  too  tedious  to  mention."  No  mention  is  made 
of  the  churches  in  the  county.  There  were  some 
eight  Baptists,  nine  Christian  and  twelve  Metho- 
dist churches.  One  Presbyterian,  two  Cumberland  Pres- 
byterian, one  Associate,  one  Associate  Reformed,  one 
Old  Side  Covenanter,  one  New  Side  Covenanter.  The 
population  was  11,286.  In  Putnam  county  there  were 
"twenty-nine  Methodist,  fifteen  Baptist,  twelve  Chris- 
tian and  five  Presbyterian  churches."  The  population 
was  18,615.  As  to  the  number  of  ministers  reported  in 
the  Gazetteer,  the  author  in  his  Introduction  says :  "It 
may  be  said  that  from  the  number  of  preachers  of  the 
gospel  represented  to  be  found  in  the  various  counties, 
it  will  be  supposed  there  is  much  more  religious  instruc- 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  73 

tion  given  than  is  actually  the  case.  The  quality  is  per- 
haps the  only  thing  in  dispute.  A  part  of  it  is  not  in- 
ferior to  any  other,  but  a  part  too,  was  correctly  de- 
scribed by  one  who,  when  receiving  furs  and  skins  for 
his  salary,  was  asked  '  whether  it  was  not  poor  pay  ? ' 
'  Yes,'  he  said,  'but  he  gave  poor  preaching  in  return.'" 

In  this  field  there  were,  in  1850,  twenty-four  Presby- 
terian churches;  thirteen  New  School,  eleven  Old 
School.  In  these  churches  there  were  eighteen  hun- 
dred and  fifty-nine  members ;  nine  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  New  School,  and  nine  hundred  and  thirty-four  Old 
School.  In  1838,  the  membership  was  one  thousand 
and  forty-two.  In  1850,  the  increase  had  become  eighty 
per  cent.  The  population  had  increased  from  eighty- 
four  thousand  in  1840,  to  something  more  than  one 
hundred  and  twenty  thousand  in  1850,  an  increase  of 
something  less  than  fifty  per  cent  for  that  time. 

But  the  mere  increase  of  population  does  not  mark 
the  real  progress  and  prosperity  of  this  region  of  coun- 
try. The  construction  of  railroads  and  telegraphs  opens 
a  new  era  of  activity  and  enterprise.  In  1838,  when  the 
great  division  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  occurred,  Indi- 
anapolis, although  the  capital  of  the  State,  was  but  a 
good  country  town  with  a  population  of  twenty-five 
hundred.  In  October,  1847,  the  Madison  and  Indianap- 
olis railroad  was  completed  and  the  locomotive  first  en- 
tered the  city.  City,  Indianapolis  had  become  by  vote 
in  March,  1847,  and  in  the  actual  establishment  of  city 
government  in  May,  1847.  Six  months  after  the  rail- 
road reached  Indianapolis  the  telegraph  came,  and  des- 
patches by  the  wire  were  first  sent  as  far  east  as  Rich- 
mond May  12,  1848.  The  population  of  the  city  at  this 
time  was  about  six  thousand.  In  1850  it  was  a  little 
more  than  eisrht  thousand. 


74  HISTOR  Y  OF  THE 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

JndianapoUs  Presbytery,  0.  S.-^Changes  in  Churches — Min- 
isterial Changes — State  of  Religion — Missionary  Work — 
Presbyterial  Authority — Fii^st  Church  of  Indianapolis — 
Second  Church  of  Greencastle — Numbers. 

1850—1860. 

Following  on  the  history  for  the  next  twenty-five 
years,  of  the  churches  and  presbyteries  within  the 
boundaries  of*the  present  presbytery,  our  liraits  will  for- 
bid anything  more  than  a  suggestive  outline  with  a 
statement  of  results.  •  Within  the  Presbytery  of  Indian- 
apolis, O.  S.,  we  find  the  following 

CHANGES   IN    CHURCHES. 

April,  1852,  the  organization  of  the  church  of  Boggs. 
town  was  reported  to  presbytery,  with  a  membership  of 
thirty- six. 

The  Third  Church  of  Indianapolis,  having  been  trans- 
ferred by  the  General  Assembly  of  1852,  from  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Muncie  to  the  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis,  was, 
in  July,  1852,  enrolled  among  the  churches  of  the  pres- 
bytery. This  church  had  been  organized  September, 
23,  1851,  by  a  committee  of  Muncie  Presbytery. 
Eighteen  members  from  the  First  Church  of  Indianapo- 
lis united  in  its  organization. 

April,  1854,  the  organization  of  the  church  of  Donald- 
son, with  twenty-nine  members,  was  reported;  also,  the 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  75 

organization  of  the  Union  church,  with  fourteen  mem- 
bers, and  of  the  Greenwood  church,  with  nine  members. 

September,  1854,  the  organization  of  a  church  at  Ed- 
inburg,  with  twenty  members,  was  reported. 

September,  1855,  the  organization  of  a  church  at 
Greenfield,  with  eighteen  members,  was  reported. 

MINISTERIAL    CHANGES. 

April,  1851,  the  pastoral  relation  between  Levi  Hughes 
and  the  church  at  Bloomington  was  dissolved,  and  Mr. 
Hughes  dismissed  to  the  Presbytery  of  Logansport  to  ac- 
cept the  call  of  the  First  Church  of  Logansport. 

April,  1851,  H.  I.  Coe  was  dismissed  to  the  Presby- 
tery of  Muncie. 

James  Gallatin  was  dismissed  at  the  same  time  to  the 
Presbytery  of  Cedar,  Iowa. 

April,  1851,  J.  A.  McKee  was  received  from  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Madison.  In  the  following  June  he  was  in- 
stalled pastor  at  Franklin.  April,  1860,  this  pastoral 
relation  was  dissolved,  on  account  of  the  failing  health 
of  the  pastor's  wife  and  the  necessity  of  a  change  of 
climate.  In  October,  1860,  Mr.  McKee  was  dismissed 
to  the  Presbytery  of  St.  Paul. 

April,  1851,  David  Stevenson,  a  licentiate,  was  re- 
ceived from  the  Presbytery  of  Elizabeth  town.  He  was 
ordained  June,  1851.  July,  1852,  he  was  installed  pastor 
of  the  Third  Church,  of  Indianapolis.  October,  1860, 
this  pastorial  relation  was  dissolved  on  account  of  the 
failing  health  of  the  pastor. 

June,  1851,  J.  C.  Caldwell,  a  licentiate,  was  received 
from  the  Presbytery  of  Crawfordsville,  and  ordained 
and  installed  at  Shelbyville.  He  was  released  from  his 
pastoral  charge  September,  1856,  and  dismissed  to  the 
Presbytery  of  St.  Paul,  April,  1857. 

June,  1851,  H.  L.  Vannuys  was  licensed,  and  April, 


76  HISTORY  OF  THE 

1853,  dismissed  to  put  himself  nuder  the  care  of  the 
Presbytery  of  Lake. 

June,  1851,  R.  M.  Overstreet  was  licensed,  ordained  in 
September,  1851,  and  after  laboring  in  the  church  of 
Georgetown  and  elsewhere  in  the  missionary  work  of 
the  presbytery,  was  dismissed  in  October,  1852,  to  the 
Presbytery  of  Palestine. 

July,  1852,  C.  G.  McLain,  D.  D.,  was  received  from 
the  Classis  of  Montgomery,  New  York.  Dr.  McLain  es- 
tablished in 'Indianapolis  a  large  and  flourishing  school 
for  young  ladies,  under  the  name  of  the  McLain  Sem- 
inary.    He  died  in  1860. 

July,  1S52,  Thomas  Alexander  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Crawfordsville.  He  was  stated  supply  of 
the  church  in  Bloomington.  September,  1854,  he  was 
dismissed  to  the  Presbytery  of  Brazos,  Texas. 

July,  1852,  Orlando  Clark  was  licensed.  September, 
1857,  he  was  dismissed  to  put  himself  under  the  care  of 
the  Presbytery  of  Miami. 

October,  1852,  E.  K.  Lynn  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  New  Albany.  He  was  installed  at  Hope- 
well in  the  succeeding  November.  He  was  released 
from  his  pastoral  charge  in  April,  1853,  and  dismissed 
September,  1854,  to  the  Presbytery  of  Palestine. 

April,  1853,  Alfred  Ryors,  D.  D.,  was  received  from 
the  Presbytery  of  Hocking.  Dr.  Ryors  was  president 
of  the  State  University  at  Bloomington.  He  was  dis- 
missed to  the  Presbytery  of  Madison  April,  1854. 

September,  1853,  J.  L.  Martin  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Louisville.  He  labored  in  the  churches 
of  Georgetown  and  Shiloh  for  a  time,  and  was  dismissed 
to  the  Presbytery  of  Vincennes  April,  1855. 

December,  1853,  David  Monfort,  a  licentiate,  was  re- 
ceived from  the  Presbytery  of  White  Water,  ordained 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  77 

and  installed  at  Knightstown.  He  was  released  from 
this  pastoral  charge  April,  1858,  and  in  September  fol- 
lowing dismissed  to  the  Presbj'tery  of  White  Water. 

April,  1855,  F.  H.  L.  Laird  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  New  Albany.  lie  was  stated  supply  at 
Bloomington  for  a  year,  and  dismissed  to  the  Presbytery 
of  Potosi  October,  1856. 

April,  1855,  A.  C.  Allen  was  received  from  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Crawfordsville,  and  installed  at  Hopewell. 
The  pastoral  relation  was  dissolved  July,  1859. 

September,  1856,  Wm.  Sickles  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Madison. 

April,  1857,  Lowman  Hawes  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Milwaukee.  He  was  installed  at  Bloom- 
ington in  May  following.  November,  1857,  he  was  re- 
leased, and  dismissed  to  the  Presbytery  of  Madison,  to 
accept  the  call  of  the  First  Church  of  Madison. 

April,  1857,  Blackburn  Leffler  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Sangamon.  He  was  dismissed  to  the 
Presbytery  of  Vincennes  April,  1859. 

April,  1858,  John  Gilchrist  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  White  Water.  He  was  installed  over  the 
church  of  Sugar  Creek  June,  1858,  for  one-half  his 
time. 

June,  1858,  E.  C.  Sickles  was  licensed,  and  dismissed 
to  put  himself  under  the  care  of  the  Presbytery  of  St. 
Louis. 

April,  1859,  L.  G.  Hay  was  received  from  the  Presby- 
tery of  Allahabad,  India. 

J.  J.  Smythe  was  received  at  the  same  time  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Orange.  After  serving  the  church  at 
Shelbyville  until  November,  1860,  he  was  then  installed 
its  pastor. 

April,  1859,   T.  M.  Hopkins,  was  received  from  the 


78  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Presbytery  of  Miami.  He  was  called  to  the  pastorate 
of  the  church  at  Bloomin^^ton.  After  several  failures 
of  committees  appointed  by  presbytery  for  the  installa- 
tion services,  he  vv^as  finally  installed  in  October,  1860. 
April,  1860,  J.  F.  Smith  was  received  from  the  Pres- 
bytery of  White  Water.  November,  1860,  he  was  in- 
stalled pastor  of  the  church  of  Hopewell. 

STATE  OF    RELIGION. 

In  September,  1851,  mention  is  made  in  the  records 
of  presbytery  of  a  deplorably  low  state  of  religion  in 
most  of  the  churches.  Because  of  this  low  state  of 
religion,  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer  was  appointed. 
At  the  following  spring  meeting,  this  record  is  made : 
"  In  view  of  the  statements  made  by  brethren,  in  their 
conversation  on  the  state  of  religion  in  our  bounds,  of 
the  gracious  dealings  of  the  Lord  among  us,  it  was 
moved  that  we  spend  a  short  season  in  thanksgiving  to 
God  for  what  he  had  done  for  our  churches,  beseech- 
ing him  at  the  same  time  for  greater  blessings."  In 
September,  1855,  record  is  again  made  of  a  very  low 
state  of  religion  in  the  churches  of  presbytery.  April, 
1858,  mention  is  made  of  greatly  increased  religious  in- 
terest, and  of  large  accessions  to  some  of  the  churches. 

The  Third  church  of  Indianapolis  had  steadily  grown 
from  its  original  membership  of  eighteen  in  1851,  until 
in  1860,  it  reported  a  membership  of  one  hundred  and 
eighty-two. 

The  largest  church  in  the  presbytery,  was  the  Hope- 
well church,  which  reported  two  hundred  and  sixty-six 
members. 

MISSIONARY   WORK. 

During  this  decade,  the  presbytery  for  several  succes- 
sive years  sought  for  an  intinerant  missionary  to  sup- 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  79 

ply  the  vacancies.  Not  succeeding  in  this,  the  mem- 
bers of  presbytery,  with  great  diligence  and  zeal,  labored 
among  their  destitute  churches  and  fields. 

PRESBYTERIAL    AUTHORITY. 

Nor  was  the  presbytery  lacking  in  the  exercise  of  its 
control  over  the  churches,  when  in  its  judgment  such 
control  was  demanded.  In  April,  1857,  Rev.  J.  A.  Mc- 
Kee  applied  for  a  dissolution  of  the  pastoral  relation  be- 
tween himself  and  the  church  at  Franklin.  After  hear- 
ing the  parties,  presbytery  took  the  following  action  : 

Resolved,  1st,  That  the  request  be  not  granted. 

Resolved,  2d,  That  the  church  at  Franklin  be  recommended  to 
strengthen  their  session  by  the  accession  of  two  or  more  elders. 

Resolved,  3d,  That  the  session  be  directed  to  discipline  any  mem- 
ber of  said  church  who  shall  continue  to  pursue  a  course  calculated 
in  their  judgment  to  be  divisive  or  destructive  to  the  peace,  unity 
and  purity  of  the  church  in  Franklin. 

Resolved,  4th,  That  a  committee  of  three  be  appointed  with  ad- 
visory power  to  aid  the  session  in  carrying  out  this  action,  and  that 
the  chairman  of  said  committee  be  directed  to  make  known  this 
action  to  the  church  on  next  Sabbath. 

And  not  only  did  presbytery  resolve,  but  at  its  fall  ses- 
sion, upon  report  of  the  committee  it  had  appointed,  it 
proceeded  to  discipline.  The  benefits  of  this  mainten- 
ance of  the  order  and  discipline  of  the  church  by  the 
presbytery,  are  manifest  from  the  concluding  paragraph 
of  a  page  of  Judge  Banta's  history  of  the  church  of 
Franklin.  He  thus  speaks  of  Mr.  McKee's  labors : 
''  The  year  following  Rev.  Mr.  McKee's  entry  upon  his 
labors  here,  the  membership  of  the  church  went  down 
to  one  hundred  and  fifteen — twenty-nine  members  hav- 
ing been  dismissed,  and  seven  having  died.  But  in 
1852,  the  gains  began  to  exceed  the  losses,  and  with  the 
exception  of  two  years,  this  has  been  the  case  ever  since. 
In  that  year  a  refreshing  revival  came  to  bless  the  la- 


80  HISTORY  OF  THE 

bors  of  the  new  pastor.*  The  good  work  seems  to  have 
commenced  in  the  last  of  February,  and  it  continued  up 
to  the  middle  of  April,  during  which  interval  forty  per- 
sons in  all  were  added  on  profession  of  their  faith.  In 
the  spring  of  the  succeeding  year,  another  shower  came, 
and  twenty-five  converts  were  added,  which,  with  the 
addition  of  those  who  joined  on  certificate,  brought  the 
membership  up  to  one  hundred  and  eighty  six,  the  high- 
est number  then  ever  reached.  In  1854,  the  number 
was  carried  up  to  one  hundred  and  ninety-four,  but  this  in- 
crease was  mostly  due  to  the  admissions  on  certificate. 
It  is  evident  to  one  who  peruses  the  records  of  this 
date,  that  a  church  trouble  is  again  brewing.  What  the 
cause  was,  I  am  sure  I  don't  know.  All  I  can  say  is, 
that  in  1854,  only  five  converts  were  added ;  in  1855,  not 
one,  in  1856,  three,  and  in  1857,  not  one!  Other  work 
seems  to  have  required  the  attention  of  the  people  du- 
ring these  gloomy  years.  The  younger  members  of  the 
congregation  appear  to  have  been  seized  about  this  time 
with  a  mania  for  dancing,  while  the  older  brethren  had 
more  serious  business  of  their  own  on  hand.  A  temp- 
est had  arisen — a  controversy  was  up — a  first  class 
church  quarrel  was  on  the  carpet,  and  while  the  breth- 
ren were  cutting  and  threshing  this  way  and  that  way 
at  each  other,  no  recruits  ventured  to  come  from  the  en- 
emy without.  How  eloquently  do  these  mute  figures 
plead  iov  'peace  within  the  church  !  " 

The  paragraph  of  Judge  Banta's  history  immediately 
succeeding  to  these  statements,  is  that  which  shows  the 
benefits  of  the  watchful  care  of  the  presbytery  and  its 
maintenance  of  the  order  and  discipline  of  the  church. 
"  In  1868,"  continues  this  historian  of  the  Franklin 
church,  "  the  smoke  of  this  conflict  having  disappeared, 
God  smiled  again  upon  the  labors  of  Mr.  McKee,  and 


PRESBYTEBY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  81 

in  Febriiar}^,  March   and  April   of  that  year,  fifty-eight 
were  added  on  examination." 

FIRST    CHURCH    OF    INDIANAPOLIS. 

The  Rev.  John  A.  McClung,  D.  D.,  of  Maysville,  Ken- 
tucky, was  installed  as  pastor  of  this  church  December 
31,  1851.  This  relation  continued  until  dissolved,  Sep- 
tember, 1855,  on  account  of  ill  health  of  the  pastor. 
The  Rev.  Thomas  M.  Cunningham,  of  St.  Louis,  was 
called  as  pastor  December  12,  1856,  and  continued  until 
May,  1860.  The  membership  of  the  church  reported  iti 
1860  was  two  hundred  and  thirteen. 

SECOND    CHURCH    OF    GREENCASTLE. 

This  church  was  ministered  to  by  Rev.  J.  M.  Mc- 
Chord  for  about  four  years  after  its  organization.  He 
was  succeeded  by  Rev.  E.  W.  Fiske,  who  began  his 
ministry  with  the  church  in  1854.  It  reported,  in  1860, 
one  hundred  and  ten  members. 

NUMBERS. 

In  1860  the  presbytery  consisted  of  eleven  ministers 
and  sixteen  churches,  containing  fourteen  hundred  and 
forty-one  members.  Fourteen  of  these  churches,  and 
eleven  hundred  and  ninety  members  were  within  the 
boundaries  of  the  present  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis. 
In  connection  with  the  Old  School  body,  there  were  also 
several  other  churches  of  Muncie  and  Crawfordsville 
Presbyteries,  besides  the  First  Church  of  Indianapolis 
and  Second  Church  of  Greencastle,  which  are  now 
within  the  boundaries  of  the  present  Presbytery  of  Indi- 
anapolis. These  were  New  Hope,  Carpentersville  and 
Clermont.  There  was  also  a  German  church  in  Indi- 
6 


82  '  HISTORY  OF  THE 

anapolis,  which,  after  appearing  for  a  series  of  years 
in  the  reports  of  Muncie  Presbytery,  disappears.  The 
total  of  the  membership  of  the  Old  School  churches  is 
one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  forty. 


PRESBYTER F  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  83 


CHAPTER    IX. 

Indianapolis  Presbytery,  N.  S.  —  New  Churches  —  Second 
Church  of  Indianapolis — Fourth  Church  of  Indianapolis 
— Greenwood — Ministerial  Changes — Missionary  Work — 
Danville,  White  Lick,  Greencastle,  Putnamville,  Bain- 
bridge,  Bloomington,  Columbus. 

1851—1860. 

April,  1851,  the  organization  of  the  Second  Church  of 
Franklin,  with  a  membership  of  twenty  two,  was  re- 
ported to  presbytery. 

In  the  spring  of  1851,  because  of  the  blessing  of  God 
upon  the  labors  of  C.  E.  Babb,  pastor  of  the  Second 
Church  of  Indianapolis,  the  church  edifice  became  too 
small  for  the  congregation,  and  it  became  a  question 
with  the  church  whether  to  enlarge  their  building  or  to 
colonize  and  form  another  church.  The  pastor  advised 
the  latter.  In  presbytery,  which  convened  September 
4,  1851,  Mr.  Babb  reported  that  there  was  great  need  of 
another  church  in  Indianapolis,  and  that  efforts  were 
being  made  to  organize  another  church.  In  conse- 
quence of  this  report  presbytery  passed  the  following 
resolution : 

That  we  respectfully  recommend  to  the  Second  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Indianapolis,  to  take  into  consideration  the  propriety 
and  importance  of  forming  another  church  of  our  order  in  that  city  ; 
and,  that  if  they  should  embark  in  such  an  enterprise,  they  shall 
have  our  sympathy  and  co-operation. 


84  HISIORY  OF  THE 

After  a  full  interchange  of  opinion,  September  30, 
1851,  the  session  of  the  Second  Church  resolved  that  it 
was  desirable  and  practicable  to  form  a  colony  and  or- 
ganize another  Presbyterian  church.  On  the  30th  'of 
November,  1851,  twenty-four  persons,  dismissed  from  the 
Second  Church,  were  organized  info  the  Fourth  Presby- 
terian Church  of  Indianapolis. 

September,  1857,  the  organization  of  the  church  at 
Zionsville,  with  six  members  and  one  elder,  was  reported 
to  presbytery. 

April,  1860,  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church  of  Madi- 
son county,  with  ten  members,  was  reported  to  presby- 
tery. 

SECOND    CHURCH    OF    INDIANAPOLIS. 

On  account  of  failing  health,  the  Rev.  C.  E.  Babb  was 
released  from  pastoral  care  of  this  church  January  31, 

1853.  April,  1854,  he  was  dismissed  to  the  Presbytery 
of  Cincinnati. 

The  church  remained  vacant  a  full  year.     January  1, 

1854,  Rev.  Thornton  A.  Mills,  to  whom  a  call  had  been 
extended  by  th(!  church  the  previous  October,  entered 
upon  the  duties  of  the  pastorate.  He  was  received  from 
the  Presbytery  of  Cincinnati,  and  installed  February, 
1854.  Under  the  ministry  of  Dr.  Mills  the  church 
steadily  grew,  although  there  were  no  seasons  of  revival. 
February,  1857,  Dr.  Mills  was  released  from  pastoral 
charge  of  the  church,  to  enter  upon  the  duties  of  Secre- 
tary of  the  General  Assembly's  Committee  on  Education, 
to  which  he  had  been  elected  towards  the  close  of  the 
year  1856.  August,  1857,  the  church  gave  a  call  to  the 
Rev.  George  P.  Tiudall.  Having  accepted  the  call,  he 
was  received  by  the  presbytery  from  the  Presbytery  of 
Dayton,  October,  1857,  but  was  not  installed  until  June, 
1859.     The  year  1858  was  a  year  of  revival  throughout 


PRESB  YTER  Y  OF  INDIANA  POLLS.  85 

the  land.  The  Second  Church,  from  April,  1858,  to 
April,  1859,  received  to  its  membership  fifty-three  on 
profession  of  faith  and  sixteen  by  letter.  The  member- 
ship reported  in  1860  was  one  hundred  and  ninety-five. 

FOURTH    CHURCH    OF    INDIANAPOLIS. 

The  Fourth  Church  in  the  beginning  of  1852,  secured 
for  its  minister  the  Rev.  George  M.  Maxwell.  He  was 
received  from  the  Presbytery  of  Franklin,  August,  1852. 
He  first  served  the  church  as  stated  supply.  He  became 
pastor  elect  April,  1854,  and  was  installed  February? 
1856.  On  account  of  failing  health,  he  was  released 
from  his  pastoral  charge,  December,  1858,  and  dismissed 
to  the  Presbytery  of  Cincinnati  April,  1860. 

During  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Maxwell  in  the  Fourth 
Church,  after  nearly  six  years  of  struggle,  the  church 
dedicated  its  first  house  of  worship  at  the  corner  of  Del- 
aware and  Market  streets.  Its  membership,  at  that 
time,  had  increased  to  one  hundred  and  fifteen.  In  the 
spring  of  1858  a  large  accession  was  reported  of  thirty- 
three  by  profession  and  twenty  by  letter. 

October,  1859,  A.  L.  Brooks  was  called  to  the  church. 
He  entered  upon  his  labors  immediately,  and  was  re- 
ceived by  the  presbytery  from  the  Presbytery  of  Chicago, 
April,  1860.  The  church  reported  in  April,  1860,  only 
eighty-five  members. 

GREENWOOD. 

The  pastor  of  the  Greenwood  church,  P.  S.  Cleland, 
continued  steadily  on  in  his  labors  through  this  decade 
in  the  history  of  the  presbytery,  and  the  second  decade 
of  his  labors  with  the  Greenwood  church.  September 
17,  1853,  the  third  house  of  worship  erected  by  the  con- 
gregation, was  dedicated  to  the  worship  of  God.  The 
year  1853  was  marked  by  a  season  of  special  religious 


86  HISTORY  OF  THE 

interest.  There  was  also  a  revival  in  1856,  resulting  in 
larger  additions  to  the  church  than  at  any  other  time 
^during  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Cleland.  Twenty-eight  per- 
sons were  received  upon  profession  of  their  faith.  In 
1860,  there  was  reported  a  membership  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty-six. 

MINISTERIAL    CHANGES. 

To  those  already  nientioued  as  occurring  in  this  peri- 
od of  the  higtory  of  the  presbytery,  the  following  are  to 
be  added : 

April,  1851,  E.  Scofield  was  received  from  the  Presby- 
tery of  Cincinnati.  He  was  at  different  times  supply  of 
the  Highland  and  Second  Franklin  churches ;  also  of 
Pendleton,  Anderson  and  Greenfield.  These  were  all 
missionary  churches,  with  a  membership  of  three,  in  the 
smallest  reported,  Pendleton,  and  of  twenty-three  in  the 
largest,  Highland.  Mr.  Scofield  was  dismissed  to  the 
Presbytery  of  Hamilton,  September,  1853.  September, 
1858,  he  was  again  received  from  the  Presbytery  of 
Hamilton,  and  ministered  to  the  church  at  Anderson. 

April,  1851,  Mr.  Nyce  was  dismissed  to  Felicity  Pres- 
bytery. 

September,  1851,  J.  Fairchild  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Crawfordsville.  His  labors  were  first  in 
Hancock  county.  He  afterwards  was  supply  of  the 
Highland  and  Second  Franklin  churches.  September 
1856,  he  was  dismissed  to  the  Presbytery  of  Ft.  Wayne. 

August,  1852,  John  Stewart  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Lexington.  April,  1853,  he  was  dismissed 
to  the  Presbytery  of  Madison. 

April,  1853,  W.  A.  McCampbell  was  received  from 
the  Presbytery  of  Green  River,  He  became  stated  sup- 
ply of  New  Providence  or  Southport.     He  was  permit-  ' 


PRESB  YTER Y  OF  INDIANAPOLIIS.  87 

ted  to  labor  in  his  new  field  but  a  few  months.  He  was 
removed  by  death,  August,  1853. 

April,  1853,  J.  Brownlee  was  received  from  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Madison.  He  was  installed  pastor  of  the 
church  at  Connersville,  June,  1853.  April,  1855,  he  was 
released  from  the  pastoral  care  of  the  church.  Septem- 
ber, 1859,  he  was  dismissed  to  the  Presbytery  of  Kan- 
sas, having  previously  labored  for  some  time  without 
the  bounds  of  the  presbytery. 

September,  1853,  B.  F.  Cole  was  released  from  the 
pastoral  care  of  the  churches  of  Thorntown  and  Bethel, 
and  dismissed  to  the  Presbytery  of  Pataskala. 

September,  1854,  W.  R.  Stevens  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Trumbull.  He  became  supply  of  Thorn- 
town  and  Bethel.  September,  1856,  he  was  dismissed  to 
the  Association  of  Minnesota. 

April,  1855,  W.  H.  Rogers  was  dismissed  to  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Salem.  His  principal  field  of  labor  in  the 
presbytery  had  been  Noblesville. 

April,  1855,  S.  E.  Wishard  was  licensed.  April,  1857, 
he  was  dismissed  to  put  himself  under  the  care  of  the 
Presbytery  of  Schuyler. 

September,  1855,  A.  S.  Avery  was  dismissed  to  the 
Presbytery  of  Alton.  He  had  been  for  several  years 
without  a  charge. 

September,  1855,  W.  A.  McCorkle  was  received  from 
the  Presbytery  of  Crawfordsville.  April,  1856,  he  was 
dismissed  to  the  Presbytery  of  Fox  River. 

April,  1856,  Philander  Anderson  was  received  from 
the  Presbytery  of  Fort  Wayne.  He  remained  in  the 
presbytery  without  charge. 

September,  1856,  E.  B.  Smith  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Harmony.     He  supplied   the  church   of 


88  HISTORY  OF  THE 

Connersville,  and  September,  1857,  was  dismissed  to  the 
Presbytery  of  Clintou. 

September,  1856,  George  H.  White,  a  licentiate  of 
Fourth  Hartford  Association,  was  received.  He  was  or- 
dained an  evangelist  ISTovember,  1856,  and  went  as  a 
missionary  to  Turkey  under  appointment  from  the 
American  Board  of  Foreign  Missions. 

October,  1857,  Franklin  Putnam  was  received  from 
the  Presbytery  of  Dayton.  He  became  stated  supply  of 
Thorntown  and  Bethel.  While  engaged  in  this  field,  he 
was  removed  by  death  in  the  summer  of  1859,  and  so 
ceasing  from  labor  entered  into  heavenly  rest. 

September,  1858,  J.  0.  Blythe  was  received  from  an 
Independent  church  of  Philadelphia.  September,  1860, 
he  was  dismissed  to  the  Third  Presbytery  of  Philadel- 
phia. 

September,  1859,  D.  A.  Bassett  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Madison.  He  became  stated  supply  of  the 
church  at  Connersville. 

September,  1860,  W.  ^N".  Stimson  was  dismissed  to  the 
Presbytery  of  Greencastle.  He  had  been  for  several 
years  without  charge,  but  for  several  years  before  supply 
of  New  Pisgah  and  Sugar  Creek. 

September,  1860^  Isaac  Be  La  Mater  was  received 
from  the  Presbytery  of  Crawfordsville.  He  became 
stated  supply  of  Thorntown  and  Bethel. 

MISSIONARY    WORK. 

Presbytery  labored  faithfully  to  supply  the  vacancies 
and  destitutions  of  their  field.  Strenuous  exertions  were 
made  to  supply  vacant  churches  with  the  stated  ministry 
of  the  word  at  least  a  portion  of  the  time.  The  mis- 
sionaries of  the  presbytery  generally  had  in  charge  sev- 
eral small  churches.  The  larger  part  of  the  funds  for 
the   prosecution   of    the    missionary   work   within    the 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  89 

bounds  of  the  presbytery,  was  raised  within  the  presby- 
tery. The  balance  was  supplied  through  the  American 
Home  Missionary  Society. 

The  salaries  paid  the  missionaries  were  but  meagre, 
while  their  hardships  were  many.  One  received  two  hun- 
dred and  seventy-five  dollars  a  year ;  one  hundred  from 
the  Home  Missionary  Society,  and  one  hundred  and 
seventy-five  from  two  churches.  Another  missionary 
had  a  salary  promised  of  three  hundred  and  seventy -five 
dollars  ;  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  from  the  Home 
Missionary  Society,  two  hundred  from  two  churches. 
Of  this  two  hundred  promised,  the  churches  would  fall 
short  fifty  dollars.  Another  brother  had  five  hun- 
dred a  year,  paid  to  him  quarterly  by  a  member  of  the 
Second  Church.  Had  this  good  brother  of  the  Second 
Church  continued  to  be  responsible  for  a  series  of  years 
for  that  necessary  support  of  a  missionary,  which  the 
field  itself  could  not  be  made  to  yield,  doubtless  the  re- 
gion occupied  instead  of  continuing  a  moral  and  spirit- 
ual wilderness  to  so  large  an  extent  as  it  is  at  the  present 
time,  would  have  been  like  a  garden  of  the  Lord. 

But  while  missionaries  were  thus  laboring  on  scanty 
stipends,  city  ministers  received  but  eight  hundred  dol- 
lars a  year.  This,  however,  was  paid  quarterly,  not  as 
it  happened,  and  all  paid,  and  not  simply  a  considerable 
portion  of  it. 

In  1859  the  Synod  of  Indiana  transferred  the  church 
of  Laurel  Hill  and  the  county  of  Franklin  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Madison  to  the  Presbytery  of  Indianapo- 
lis. The  church  of  Laurel  Hill  was  a  feeble  church  of 
ten  members,  and  this  transfer  of  the  synod  only 
widened  the  missionary  ground  of  the  synod. 

DANVILLE.  • 

In  Danville,  Hendricks  county.  Presbytery  of  Green- 


90  ^  HISTORY  OF  THE 

castle,  the  Rev.  Amos  Jones  continued  his  ministry  until 
March,  1853.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  B.  F.  Cole, 
who  labored  in  the  church  for  three  years.  The  sum- 
mer after  the  departure  of  Mr.  Cole,  Rev.  S.  E.  Wishard 
ministered  to  the  church.  Rev.  H.  L.  Dickerson  became 
supply  of  the  church  in  the  fall  of  1857.  A  new  church 
building  was  dedicated  in  December,  1858.  March  31, 
1860,  Mr.  Dickerson  was  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the 
church.  The  membership  reported  in  1860  was  one 
hundred  and  seven. 

WHITE  LICK. 

The  church  of  White  Lick,  which  was  organized  from 
members  of  the  Danville  church,  first  appears  on  the 
roll  of  presbytery  in  1854.  Its  membership  increased 
from  twelve  in  1854,  to  thirty-eight  in  1860. 

GREENCASTLE. 

The  first  church  of  Greencastle  was  ministered  to  by 
Rev.  T.  M.  Oviatt,  from  1851  to  1855.  He  was  succeed- 
ed by  Rev.  Henry  Rossiter.  In  1860,  the  membership 
reported  was  one  hundred  and  six. 

PUTNAMVILLE    AND    BAINBRIDGE. 

Putnamville  was  ministered  to  by  Rev.  Ransom  Haw- 
ley  one-fourth  of  his  time.  It  enjoyed  a  season  of  revi- 
val in  1852.     Its  membership  in  1860  was  forty. 

The  Bainbridge  church,  which  was  in  connection  with 
the  Crawfordsville  Presbytery,  N.  S.,  reported  in  1860  a 
membership  of  eighty-nine. 

BLOOMINGTON. 

In  June,  1852,  a  Presbyterian  church,  New  School, 
was  organized,  with  eleven  members,  in  Bloomington. 
This  church  was  in  connection  with  the  Presbytery  of 
Salem.     It  was  ministered  to  statedly,  by  Rev.  John  M. 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  91 

Bishop,  a  portion  of  his  time.  After  1854,  Professor 
Elisha  Ballantine,  of  the  State  University,  supplied  it 
for  several  years  upon  the  alternate  Sabbaths,  upon 
which  Mr.  Bishop  was  absent.  The  membership  re- 
ported in  1860  was  seventy-seven. 

COLUMBUS. 

The  church  of  Columbus,  in  connection  with  the 
Madison  Presbytery,  N.  S.,  was  supplied  from  1850  to 
1853  by  Rev.  J.  Brownlee.  In  June,  1853,  the  Rev.  :N'. 
S.  Dickey  became  its  stated  supply.  It  reported  in  1860 
a  membership  of  one  hundred  and  twenty- nine. 


92  \HISTOBY  OF  THE 


CHAPTER    X. 

Numbers — Census  Report  of  the  Statistics  of  the  different 
Denominations  in  the  field  occupied  by  the  Presbytery. 

In  the  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis,  N.  S.,  there  were, 
in  1860,  twelve  ministers,  eighteen  churches,  and  eight 
hundred  and  three  members.  Of  these  eighteen  churches, 
only  nine  were  within  the  boundaries  of  the  present 
Presbytery  of  Indianapolis.  Of  these  nine  churches, 
five  were  small,  aggregating  only  sixty-seven  members. 
The  other  four  churches  contained  a  membership  of  four 
hundred  and  fifty-seven.  The  membership  of  the  nine 
churches  was  five  hundred  and  four.  In  the  seven  other 
New  School  churches  that  were  within  the  bounds  of 
the  present  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis,  there  was  a 
membership  of  five  hundred  and  eighty  six,  making  a 
total  membership  in  the  New  School  churches  of  eleven 
hundred  and  ten. 

This  number,  added  to  the  seventeen  hundred  and 
forty  of  the  Old  School  churches,  would  make  the  mem- 
bership of  the  Presbyterian  churches  within  the  boun- 
daries of  the  present  presbytery  to  have  been,  in  1860, 
two  thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifty. 

This  is  not  so  rapid  an  increase  of  the  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  church  upon  this  field  as  in  the  prece- 
ding ten  years  of  its  history.  It  is  only  an  increase  of 
little  more  than  fifty  per  cent.,  while  the  increase  of  the 
preceding  decade  was  eighty  per  cent.     But  the  rate  of 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  93 

increase  is  greater  than  that  of  the  population.  The 
population  of  the  counties  within  the  presbytery  in- 
creased from  a  little  more  than  a  hundred  and  twenty 
thousand  (121,736)  to  something  over  a  hundred  and 
fifty-eight  thousand  (158,853),  an  increase  of  little  more 
than  thirty-three  per  cent.  In  1850,  the  proportion  of 
the  membership  of  the  Presbyterian  church  in  the  field 
of  the  presbytery  was  about  one  to  sixty-five  of  the 
population.     In  1860,  the  proportion  is  one  to  fifty-five. 

CENSUS    REPORT. 

The  United  States  census  report  of  1860,  more  com- 
plete and  accurate  than  that  of  1870,  gives  the  following 
religious  statistics  of  the  field  occupied  by  the  presby- 
tery : 

Bartholomew  county,  with  a  population  of  17,865, 
has — 

3  Presbyterian  churches,  with  property  valued  at  $1 ,450. 
9  Baptist  "  "  "  "  "  7,750. 
6  Christian  "  ''  "  "  "  7,650. 
1  Friends'                 "               "             '•  "         "      1,200. 

4  Lutheran  "  "  "  "  "  1,900. 
1  Moravian              "               "             "             "         "      3,500. 

25  Methodist  "  "  "  "         "    17,800. 

Brown  county,  with  a  population  of  6,504,  has — 

1  Presbyterian  church,  with  property  valued  at  $400. 
9  Baptist                  "              "            "            "         "  600. 

3  Christian               "               '         "  420. 

6  Methodist             "              "            "            "         "  2,450. 

Hancock  county,  with  a  population  of  12,802,  has — 

2  Christian     churches,   with  property  valued  at    $3,700. 

2  Baptist  "  "  "  "  '•  800. 
6  Lutheran               "               "             "  "         "      3,750. 

14  Methodist  "  "  "  "         "      8,000. 

3  Union  "  "  "  "  "  1,054. 
1  Presbyterian         "            no  property. 


94 


HI8T0RY  OF  THE 


Hendricks  county,  with  a  population  of  16,953,  has- 

4  Presbyterian  churches,  with  property  valued  at  $10,000. 
11  Baptist  "  "  "  "        "       4,750. 

9  Christian  "  "  "  "        "       6,400. 

4  Friends'  "  "  "  "        "     14,000. 

11  Methodist  "  "  "  "        "       3.700. 

Johnson  county,  with  a  population  of  14,854,  has — 

9  Presbyterian  churches,  with  property  valued  at  $15,450. 
16  Baptist  "  "  "  "        "     10,375. 

11  Christian,  "  "  "  "         "       8,300. 

18  Methodist  "  "  "  "         "     10,125. 

1  Roman  Catholic  "  "  "  "         "  400. 

Marion  county,  with  a  population  of  39,855,  has — 
9  Presbyterian  churches,  with  property  valued  at  $92,960. 


10  Baptist 
3  Christian 
1  Congregational 
1  Episcopalian 
5  Friends' 

1  Lutheran 
32  Methodist 

2  Roman  Catholic 


31,200. 

4,600. 

8,000. 

27,000. 

6,500. 

800. 

100,905. 

19,000. 


Monroe  county,  with  a  population  of  12,847,  has — 

2  Presbyterian  churches,  with  property  valued  at  $10,500. 
9  Baptist  "  "  "  "        "       3,500. 

"       5,000. 

"  14,100. 
800. 

"      2,000. 

"       3,200. 

Morgan  county,  with  a  population  of  16,110,  has — 
26  Methodist    churches,  with  property  valued  at  $23,800. 


10  Christian 
13  Methodist 

1  Cumb'rl'nd  Pr. 

2  Reformed  Pr. 
2  United  Pr. 


4  Baptist 
12  Christian 
2  Episcopal 
6  Friends' 
1  Cumb'rl'nd  Pr. 
1  Rom' n  Catholic 


11,800. 

11,800. 

800. 

6,100. 

1,000. 

300. 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  95 

Putnam  county,  with  a  population  of  20,681,  has — 
8  Presbyterian  churches,  with  property  valued  at  $18,700. 

18  Baptist  "         "     "  "  "         "     11,690. 

14  Christian  "  "  "  "         "     14,700. 

27  Methodist  "  "  "  "         "     42,350. 

2  Cumb'rl'nd  Pr.    "  "       •      "  "         "       3,200. 

The  term  churches,  denoting  particular  organizations 
or  congregations,  gives  no  definite  information  concern- 
ing the  strong  or  weak,  the  prosperous  or  declining  con- 
dition of  particular  organizations.  Yet  the  term  church, 
denoting  an  individual  congregation,  has  definite  ideas 
of  organization,  of  life,  of  power,  of  influence,  connected 
with  it.  And  in  the  absence  of  more  complete  know- 
ledge, the  United  States  census  report  of  the  number  of 
the  churches  of  the  difterent  denominations  in  the  field 
occupied  by  our  presbytery,  and  especially  in  connection 
with  the  value  of  the  property  possessed  by  these 
churches,  gives  us  much  valuable  information  and  per- 
haps clearer  and  more  accurate  knowledge  of  the  whole 
field  than  cau  otherwise  be  obtained  by  us. 


96  HISTORY  OF  THE 


CHAPTER    XI. 

Indianapolis-  Presbytery,  N.  S. —  Greenfield  Church — Kings- 
ton and  Clarksburg — Edinburg — Sixth  Church  of  Indi- 
anapolis—  Shelbyville —  Ministerial  Changes —  Progress — 
Reunion — Adjournment  sine  die — Hendricks  County — 
Putnam  County — Bloomington — Columbus—  Numbers. 

1861—1870. 

Renewing  our  history  of  the  Presbytery  of  Indianap- 
olis, New  School,  we  will  find  it  in  the  progress  of  the 
next  ten  years  growing  in  numbers,  strength  and 
efiiciency. 

February,  1861,  it  received  the  church  of  Greenfield, 
which  was  at  the  time  in  connection  with  the  Old 
School  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis.  It  also  received  J. 
T.  Iddings,  a  licentiate  of  the  Presbytery  of  Kaskaskias, 
O.  S.,  and  installed  him  pastor  of  the  Greenfield  church. 
But  at  the  next  meeting  of  presbytery,  in  April,  citations 
were  issued  for  the  trial  of  Mr.  Iddings,  for  forgery  of 
the  certificate  of  licensure,  upon  which  he  had  been  re- 
ceived into  the  presbytery.  After  long  and  wearisome 
trials  before  presbytery,  and  in  synod,  he  was  found 
guilty  and  deposed  from  the  ministry.  The  church  of 
Greenfield  was  visited  by  committees  of  presbytery  at 
various  times,  but  had  become  alienated  from  the  pres- 
bytery, and  in  the  spring  of  1866  reunited  with  the  Old 
School  Presbytery. 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  97 

May,  1863,  the  Second  Church  of  Franklin  was  dis- 
solved, and  the  stated  clerk  directed  to  furnish  the  re- 
maining members  with  letters  to  unite  with  such 
branches  of  the  church  of  Christ  as  they  might  elect. 

April,  1864,  the  churches  of  Kingston  (formerly  Sand 
Creek)  and  Clarksburg  were  received  into  the  presbytery. 
They  had  left  the  presbytery  years  before,  because  the 
General  Assembly  had  not  taken  such  action  upon  the 
subject  of  slavery  as  they  thought  should  be  taken.  They 
had  united  with  the  Felicity  Presbytery  of  the  Free  Pres- 
byterian Church.  The  civil  war  and  emancipation  procla- 
mation of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  by  which 
the  system  of  slavery  was  destroyed,  took  away  the 
standing  place  and  removed  the  necessity  of  the  exist- 
ence of  a  Free  Presbyterian  Church,  and  these  churches 
now  returned  to  the  old  fold  with  a  largely  increased 
membership. 

September,  1864,  the  reorganization  of  a  church  at 
Edinburg  was  reported  to  presbytery.  . 

The  Sixth  Church  of  Indianapolis,  called  Olivet  at  the 
time  of  its  organization,  was  established  by  the  Second 
Church.  In  June,  1867,  a  committee  was  appointed  by 
the  Second  Church  to  buy  lots  and  build  a  chapel  in  the 
south-western  part  of  the  city.  A  site  was  selected  at 
the  corner  of  Union  and  McCarty  streets.  A  building 
was  begun  in  September.  In  October  it  was  completed. 
The  20th  of  November  a  church  was  organized  with 
twenty-one  members.  It  was  reported  to  presbytery 
April,  1868.  In  the  spring  of  1870  it  reported  one  hun- 
dred and  eleven  members. 

April,  1861,   presbytery  received   under  its   care  the 
First  German  Church  of  Shelbyville,  with  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five  members. 
7 


98  HISTORY  OF  THE 

MINISTERIAL    CHANGES. 

August,  1861,  L.  P.  Webber,  a  licentiate  of  Dayton 
Presbytery,  was  received  and  employed  as  presbyterial 
missionary.  JSTovember,  1861,  he  was  ordained.  Sep- 
tember, 1863,  he  was  dismissed  to  the  Presbytery  of  Saa 
Jose. 

October,  1861,  John  !S.  Craig  and  John  B.  Logan, 
members  of  the  Presbytery  of  Holston,  Tennessee,  un- 
able to  get  tbeir  letters  from  their  presbytery  on  account 
of  the  war,  were  received  without  them. 

Anderson  was  for  a  series  of  years  the  scene  of  the 
labors  of  J.  S.  Craig ;  afterwards  Noblesville.  J.  B. 
Logan,  as  stated  supply  and  home  missionary,  occupied 
various  fields. 

April,  1862,  A,  L.  Brooks,  stated  supply  of  the  Fourth 
Church  of  Indianapolis,  and  D.  A.  Bassett,  stated  sup- 
ply of  the  church  of  Connersville,  were  dismissed  to  the 
Presbytery  of  Chicago. 

May.  1863,  A.  A.  Jimes(jn  was  received  from  tlie  Pres- 
bytery of  Dayton.  He  was  pastor  elect  of  the  church 
at  Connersville.  April,  1865,  he  was  dismissed  to  the 
Presbytery  of  Sciota. 

May,  1863,  A.  T.  Kankin  was  received  from  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Ripley.  H«  was  stated  supply  of  the  Kingston 
and  Clarksburg  churches. 

September,  1863,  C.  H.  Marshall  was  received  from 
the  South  Congregational  Association  of  Illinois.  He 
was  stated  supply  of  the  Fourth  Church  of  Indianapolis. 

September,  1863,  T.  A.  Steele  was  received  from  Salem 
Presbytery.  He  labored  as  home  missionary  for  one 
year,  and  was  dismissed  September,  1864,  to  Salem 
Presbytery. 

September,  1863,  G.  P.  Tindall  was  released  from  the 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  99 

pastoral  care  of  the  Second  Church  of  Indianapolis,  and 
dismissed  to  the  Presbytery  of  Washtenaw. 

September,  1864,  H.  A.  Edson  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Niagara.  He  was  called  to  the  pastorate 
of  the  Second  Church  of  Indianapolis  November  5, 1863 ; 
began  his  ministry  in  the  Second  Church  January  17, 
1864,  and  was  installed  April  26,  1865. 

April,  1865,  Joseph  Swindt  was  licensed.  He  was  or- 
dained June,  1866,  and  dismissed  to  Ripley  Presbytery 
September,  1866. 

March,  1866,  W.  L.  S.  Clark  was  received  without 
credentials.  He  had  been  laboring  for  some  months 
under  direction  of  the  Committee  on  Home  Missions. 
September,  1867,  he  was  dismissed  to  the  Presbytery  of 
St.  Louis. 

September,  1866,  Isaac  De  La  Mater  was  dismissed  to 
the  Presbytery  of  Hamilton.  He  had  labored  for  several 
years  as  stated  supply  of  the  church  at  Thorntown,  and  in 
1863  was  commissioned  chaplain  of  the  seventy-second 
regiment  of  Indiana  volunteers. 

December,  1866,  the  pastoral  relation  of  P.  S.  Cleland 
and  the  church  at  Greenwood  was  dissolved,  after  a 
ministry  of  twenty-six  years,  ten  as  stated  supply  and 
sixteen  as  pastor.  The  reason  for  the  dissolution  of  the 
pastoral  relation  urged  by  Mr.  Cleland  was  impaired 
health,  that  made  it  perilous  for  him  to  continue  his 
l)astoral  labors,  and  impossible  for  him  to  discliarge  the 
duties  of  pastor.  Mr.  Cleland,  who  had  become  stated 
clerk  of  presbytery  in  1859,  continued  to  discharge  the 
duties  of  stated  clerk  until  April,  1869.  In  September, 
1869,  after  laboring  thirty  .years  within  the  bounds  of 
the  presbytery,  his  labors  at  Greenwood  antedating  the 
organization  of  the  presbytery,  he  was  dismissed  to  the 
Presbytery  of  Smoky  Hill,  Kansas. 


100  HISTORY  OF  THE 

April,  1867,  Alexander  Parker  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Madison.  He  was  stated  supply  of  the 
church  at  Connersville. 

April,  1867,  George  D.  Parker  was  licensed.  He  was 
ordained  October,  1867,  labored  at  Ediuburg,  and  was 
dismissed  to  Vincennes  September,  1869. 

April,  18'')7,  Thomas  G.  Bartholomew  was  licensed, 
ordained  April,  1869,  and  dismissed  to  the  Presbytery  of 
Lansing  Appil,  1870. 

September,  1867,  Horace  Bushnell,  Jr.,  was  received 
from  the  Presbj'tery  of  Madison,  and  ^^ecame  stated  sup- 
ply of  the  Southport  church. 

April,  1868,  J.  B.  Brandt  was  received  from  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Wabash.  His  first  work  was  in  connection 
with  the  Sixth  church  of  Indianapolis. 

Rufus  Nutting,  -fr.,  was  received  at  the  same  time 
from  the  Presbytery  of  Illinois,  and  G.  H.  White  dis- 
missed to  Windsor  Association,  Vermont. 

April,  1868,  Alexander  Keid  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Madison,  and  installed  pastor  of  the 
church  at  Anderson. 

April,  1868,  Frederick  F.  Friedgen  was  received  from 
the  Presbytery  of  Madison.  He  was  stated  supply  of 
the  First  German  Church  of  Shelbyville. 

December,  1868,  Luman  A.  Aldricb  was  received  from 
the  Presbytery  of  Cincinnati,  and  installed  pastor  of 
the  Sixth  Church  of  Indianapolis. 

September,  1869,  II.  L.  Dickerson  was  received  from 
the  Presbyter}'  of  Grsencastle.  He  became  stated  sup- 
l»ly  of  the  church  at  Edinburg. 

July  2,  1870,  J.  H.  Eschmeier  was  received  from  the 
Indiana  Classis  of  the  German  Reformed  Church,  and 
installed  pastor  of  the  First  German  Church  of  Shelby- 
ville. 


PRESBYTERY  Oi  INDIANAPOLIS.  101 


DEATHS. 


September  9, 1866,  Claiborne  Young,  one  of  the  oldest 
members  of  the  presbytery,  died  at  his  own  residence  in 
Boone  county,  at  the  age  of  sixty-six, 

June  19,  1867,  Thornton  A.  Mills,  D.  D.,  Secretary  of 
the  General  Assembly's  Committee  on  Education,  fell 
dead  from  a  stroke  of  apoplexy  as  he  was  stepping  from 
the  ferryboat  at  Hoboken,  New  Jersey.  So,  absent 
from  the  body,  he  entered  into  the  presence  of  the  Lord. 


PROGRESS. 


During  this  period  of  ten  years,  the  years  1866,  1867 
and  1870  were  marked  with  the  greatest  increase  to  the 
churches.  The  narrative  for  1866  says :  "  We  desire 
to  express  our  gratitude  to  God  for  the  increased  pros- 
perity of  many  of  our  churches  since  the  last  report  to 
presbytery.  The  influence  of  the  numerous  revivals  du- 
ring the  last  winter  is  apparent  in  the  large  and  atten- 
tive congregations,  the  earnest  prayer  meetings,  and  the 
growing  Sabbath  schools,  of  which  not  a  few  are  able  to 
speak."  The  revivals  of  1868  prevailed  in  a  larger  num- 
ber of  the  churches,  and  resulted  in  large  additions.  In 
1870,  two  of  the  churches  of  the  presbytery  were  blessed 
with  very  large  additions.  The  church  of  Kingston  re- 
ceived one  hundred  and  twenty-two  upon  profession  of 
faith  ;  the  Second  Church  of  Indianapolis  one  hundred 
and  twenty-six. 

Daring  this  period,  the  Second  Church  of  Indianapo- 
lis began  and  completed  its  second  house  of  worship. 
Ground  was  broken  for  the  structure  at  the  corner  of 
Pennsylvania  and  Vermont  streets  in  the  spring  of  1864. 
The  corner-stone  was  laid  May  14, 1866 ;  the  chapel  was 
first  occupied  December  22,  1867,  and  the  completed  ed- 
ifice was  dedicated  January  9,  1870.     The  entire  cost  of 


102  HISTORY  OF  THE 

the  property  was  about  one  hundred  and  five  thousand 
dollars. 

REUNION. 

The  first  mention  made  of  reunion  in  the  records  of 
presbytery  is  in  April,  1865.  Then,  Rev.  Wm.  Phelan 
is  present  as  a  delegate  from  White  Water  Presbytery, 
and  presents  to  the  presbyter}^  a  series  of  resolutions 
from  the  White  AYater  Presbytery  on  the  subject  of  the 
reunion  of  the  two  branches  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 
The  following  resolutions  were  passed  by  the  presbytery  : 

First.  That  the  presbj'tery  cordially  reciprocate  the  sentiments 
and  action  of  the  White  Water  Presbytery  on  the  subject  of  the 
union  of  the  now  divided  Presbyterian  church. 

Second.  That  we  instruct  our  commissioners  to  the  next  General 
Assembly  to  co-operate  in  any  measures  which  may  be  proposed  in 
the  Assembly  which,  in  their  judgment,  may  have  a  tendency  to 
bring  about  a  harmonious  and  honorable  blending  of  the  two 
branches  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 

Third.  That  Rev.  A.  A.  Jimeson  and  Elder  P.  H.  Roots  be 
appointed  to  convey  to  the  White  Water  Presbytery,  either  in 
person,  or  otherwise,  our  sincere  Christian  salutations,  and  our 
willingness  to  co-operate  in  bringing  about  a  union  so  desirable. 

Fourth.  That  Rev.  C.  H.  Marshall  and  Elder  W.  N.  Jackson  be 
appointed  delegates  to  the  Indianapolis  Presbytery,  O.  S.,  which  is 
to  meet  in  Indianapolis  next  week,  and  extend  to  that  body  our 
fraternal  greetings  and  our  readiness  for  an  organic  union  with 
their  branch  of  the  church  as  soon  as  in  the  providence  of  God  the 
way  is  open. 

The  final  action  of  the  presbytery  on  the  subject  of 
reunion  is  in  September,  1869. 

An  overture  on  the  reunion  of  the  two  branches  of 
the  Presbyterian  church,  O.  S.  and  N.  S.,  was  received 
from  the  General  Assembly,  through  its  stated  clerk, 
propounding  the  following  question,  and  directing  that 
a  report  to  the  Assembly  of  the  answer  given  should  be 
made  before  November  1, 1869 : 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  103 

"  Do  you  approve  of  the  reunion  of  the  two  bodies 
claiming  the  name  and  rights  of  the  Presbyterian  church 
in  the  United  States  of  America,  on  the  following 
basis,  namely : 

'  The  reunion  shall  be  effected  on  the  doctrinal  and 
ecclesiastical  basis  of  our  common  standards  :  the  Scrip- 
tures of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  shall  be  acknowl- 
edged to  be  the  inspired  word  of  God,  and  the  only 
infallible  rule  of  faith  and  practice;  the  Confession  of 
Faith  shall  continue  to  be  sincerely  received  and  adopted 
as  containing  the  system  of  doctrine  taught  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures ;  and  the  Government  and  Discipline  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  in  the  United  States  shall  be 
approved  as  containing  the  principles  and  rules  of  our 
polity.'  " 

The  vote  being  taken  on  this  overture,  it  was  answered 
in  the  affirmative  b}'  a  unanimous  rising  vote,  and  pres- 
bytery directed  that  a  special  record  should  be  made  of 
the  names  of  all  voting.     The  list  follows  : 

Ministers.  Churches.  Elders. 

Philips.  Cleland 

John  S.  Craig Noblesville H.   F.  Chappell. 

Charles  H.  Marshall Indianapolis,  4th Samuel  Merrill. 

John  B.  Logan Edinburg Henry  Ewing. 

Rufus  Nutting,  Jr 

Philander  Anderson 

Alexander  Parker 

Henry  L.  Dickerson Thorntown John  Higgins. 

Archibald  S.  Reid Anderson,  1st Jacob  Beachler. 

Arthur  T.  Rankin Kingston J.  B.  Hopkins. 

Francis  F.  Friedgen Shelbyville,  Ger Henry  Burkher. 

Han  ford  A.  Edson Indianapolis,  2d Edwin  J.  Peck. 

Horace  Bushnell,  Jr Southport Samuel  Moore. 

Greenwood Garret  Sorter. 

Luman  A.  Aldrich Olivet C.  P.  Wilson. 

John  B.  Brandt 


104  HISTORY  OF  THE 

FINAL    ADJOURNMENT. 

July  3,  1870,  at  the  close  of  installation  services  in  the 
First  German  church,  in  Shelbjville,  "  the  Presbytery  of 
Indianapolis,  N.  S.,  as  existing  prior  to  the  reunion, 
adjourned  sine  die,  with  thankfulness  to  God  for  all  the 
good  it  had  been  permitted  to  do,  and  for  that  union, 
which  gives  hope  for  greater  good  in  the  future." 

HENDRICKS    COUNTY. 

The  Banvflle  church  enjoyed  the  ministry  of  W.  L. 
Dickerson  until  February,  1868,  when  the  pastoral  rela- 
tion was  dissolved  by  the  Presbytery  of  Greencastle. 
W.  L.  Lee  succeeded  to  the  pastorate  of  the  church 
July,  1868.  The  number  reported  in  the  church,  1870, 
was  one  hundred  and  forty-four. 

The  church  at  White  Lick  reported  at  the  same  time 
sixty-three. 

PUTNAM    COUNTY. 

The  Rev.  Henry  Rossiter  ministered  to  the  church  at 
Greencastle  until  December,  1868.  W.  A.  Bosworth 
became,  in  1869,  supply,  and  was  supply  for  one  year. 

In  Januar}^,  1864,  a  new  house  of  worship,  begun  some 
years  before,  was  dedicated  to  the  worship  of  God.  The 
membership  in  1869  was  one  hundred  and  four.  Organic 
union  with  the  Second  church  had  been  completed  in 
the  spring  of  1870,  and  a  membership  of  two  hundred 
and  fifty  is  reported  in  connection  with  the  Presbytery 
of  Crawfordsville,  0.  S.  In  the  Second  church  there 
was,  in  1869,  one  hundred  members. 

The  Bainbridge  church  reported  in  1870,  seventy 
members. 

In  1865,  the  Rev.  Ransom  Hawley  ceased  his  labors  in 
the  Putnamville  church  as  stated  supply.  When  he 
ceased  his  labors,  he  had  been  ministering  to  the  church 


PRESB  YTER  Y  OF  INDIANA  POLLS.  105 

one-fourth  of  his  time  for  twenty-four  years.  Hev. 
John  Hawks  became  stated  supply  of  the  Putnam ville 
church  for  one-fourth  of  his  time.  The  membership 
reported  in  1870,  was  eighty-nine. 

BLOOMINGTON. 

The  church  at  Bloomington  was  supplied  by  Rev. 
John  M.  Bishop  one-half  of  his  time  until  1865,  when 
he  was  installed  as  pastor  by  the  Salem  Presbytery. 
Until  this  installation,  Prof.  Ballantine  supplied  the 
church  one-half  the  time.  In  the  fall  of  1867,  Mr. 
Bishop  was  released  from  the  pastorate  of  the  churchy 
to  accept  a  call  to  the  church  at  Rockville.  Prof.  Bal- 
lantine at  this  time,  became  stated  supply  of  the  church 
and  ministered  to  it  for  two  years.  In  the  fall  of  1869, 
this  church,  the  Second  Presbyterian  church  of  Bloom- 
ington, made  arrangements  for  united  services  with 
the  First  church.  These  services  continued  until  April^ 
1870,  when  the  organic  union  of  the  First  and  Second 
churches  was  consummated.  The  Second  church  had  at 
the  time  of  this  union,  a  membership  of  sixty-eight. 

COLUMBUS. 

This  church  was  ministered  to  by  Rev.  J^.  S.  Dickey, 
until  November,  1870,  when  he  terminated  his  labors 
with  the  church,  closing  a  ministry  to  it  of  seventeen 
years.  The  membership  reported  in  1870,  was  one  hun- 
dred and  seven  t}'. 

At  the  time  of  the  final  adjournment  of  the  India- 
napolis Presbytery,  i!s^.  S.,  there  were  connected  with  it,, 
fifteen  ministers  and  nineteen  churches,  with  a  member- 
ship of  nineteen  hundred  and  fifty-nine.  Of  these 
churches,  eight  are  within  the  bounds  of  the  present 
presbytery,  and  had  a  membership  of  one  thousand  and 


106  HISTORY  OF  THE 

thirty-six.  The  other  seven  churches  that  were  in  con- 
nection with  New  School  presbyteries,  had  a  member- 
ship of  six  hundred  and  seventy  three.  The  total  mem- 
bership of  all  the  churches,  was  seventeen  hundred  and 
seventeen. 


PRESB  YTER  Y  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  107 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Indianapolis  Presbytery,  0.  S. — Changes  in  the  Churches 
— Ministerial  Changes — Deaths — State  of  the  Country — 
Revivals — Reunion — First  Church  at  Indianapolis — Sev- 
enth Church  of  Indianapolis — Brewnsburg  and  Clermont 
— Grreencastle,    Carpentersville,    Blooniington — Numbers. 

1861—1870. 

In  this  last  decade  of  the  history  of  this  presbytery, 
we  uote  first  the  changes  in  the  churches. 

In  April,  1861,  the  Edinburg  church  was  dissolved, 
and  by  request  of  its  members  they  were  united  with 
the  church  at  Franklin. 

April,  1865,  the  name  of  New  Providence  church  was 
changed  to  Acton. 

April,  1865,  the  church  of  Greenwood  was  dissolved. 

April,  1866,  the  Greenfield  church,  reporting  a  mem- 
bership of  one  hundred  and  thirty-eight,  was  received. 

October,  1867,  the  organization  of  the  Fifth  church 
of  Indianapolis  with  eighteen  members,  was  reported  to 
presbytery. 

October,  1867,  the  church  of  Bloomington,  with  its 
pastor,  T.  M.  Hopkins,  was  transferred  to  the  Presbytery 
of  New  Albany. 

MINISTERIAL    CHANGES. 

April,  1861,  A.  B.  Morey,  a  licentiate  of  the  Presby- 


108  HISTORY  OF   THE 

tery  of  Albany  was  received.  The  succeeding  month  of 
May  he  was  ordaihed  and  installed  at  Franklin. 

April,  1861,  J.  B.  Vawter  was  licensed.  March,  1868> 
he  was  dismissed  to  put  himself  under  the  care  of  the 
Presbytery  of  Dubuque. 

September,  1861,  Charles  Axtel  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Rock  River,  He  was  installed  at  Knights- 
town  in  the  following  October.  April,  1864,  he  was  re- 
leased from  his  pastoral  charge.  In  September,  1865, 
he  was  dismissed  to  the  Presbytery  of  Dubuque. 

September,  1861,  P.  R.  Vanatta  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Hillsboro.  His  labors  were  in  the  Bible 
cause. 

September,  1861,  G.  C.  Heckman  was  received  from 
the  Presbytery  of  Milwaukee.  October,  1871,  he  was 
installed  pastor  of  the  Third  church  of  Indianapolis. 
This  pastoral  relation  was  dissolved  in  October,  1867, 
and  Dr.  Heckman  dismissed  to  the  Presbytery  of  Albany 
to  accept  a  call  from  the  State  Street  Church,  Albany. 

June,  1862,  B.  F.  Wood  was  released  from  the  pas- 
toral care  of  the  Bethany  church. 

June,  1862,  F.  Senour  was  received  trom  the  Presby- 
tery of  Louisville.  March,  1863,  he  was  dismissed  to 
the  Presbytery  of  Chicago. 

June,  1862,  J.  H.  Vannuys,  a  licentiate  of  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Donegal,  was  received.  April,  1863,  he  was 
dismissed  to  put  himself  under  the  care  of  the  Presby- 
tery of  Rock  River. 

September,  1862,  Levi  Hughes  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  St.  Paul.  This  brother  losing  his  hearing, 
and  becoming  entirely  deaf  by  exposure  while  preach- 
ing in  Minnesota,  became,  notwithstanding  this  great 
affliction  of  being  totally  deaf,  an  earnest  and  successful 
evanerelist.     He  labored  for  some  time  as  evangelist  and 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  109 

missiouary  in  the  presbytery,  and  then  became  agent 
for  Hanover  College.  He  was  dismissed  to  the  Presby- 
tery of  New  Albany  in  October,  1867. 

April,  1863,  W.  W.  Sickles  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  New  Albany. 

April,  1864,  J.  Q.  Mclveehan  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Madison.  May,  1869,  he  was  dismissed 
to  the  same  presbytery. 

C.  H.  Raymond  was  received  at  the  same  time  from 
the  Presbytery  of  White  Water.  April,  1866,  he  was 
dismissed  to  the  Presbj^tery  of  Oxford. 

April,  1865,  S.  E.  Barr  was  received  from  the  Presby- 
tery of  New  Albany.  May  following  he  was  installed 
at  Hopewell. 

April,  1865,  N.  S.  Palmer  was  received  from  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Orawfordsville.  His  labors  were  principally 
in  connection  with  the  American  Tract  Society. 

April,  1866,  James  Gilchrist  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  White  Water.  He  was  stated  supply  of 
\he  Bethany  church.  April,  1870,  he  was  dismissed  to 
the  Presbytery  of  Orawfordsville. 

April,  1866,  P.  B.  Abbott  was  received  from  the  Pres- 
bytery of  White  Water.  He  was  stated  supply  of  the 
church  at  Knightstown.  In  April,  1867,  he  was  dis- 
missed to  the  Presbytery  of  St.  Paul. 

April,  1866,  J.  J.  Smythe  was  released  from  the  pasto- 
ral care  of  the  church  at  Shelbyville.  April,  1867,  he 
was  dismissed  to  the  Presbytery  of  Erie. 

September,  1866,  P.  M.  Overstreet  was  received  from 
the  Presbytery  of  Central  Texas. 

April,  1867,  C.  P.  Jennings  was  received  from  the 
Presbyter}'  of  Logansport.  He  labored  in  connection 
with  the  church  at  Shelbyville.  Dissatisfied  with  the 
reunion  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  he  united  with  the 


110  HISTOB.Y  OF  THE 

Protestant  Episcopal  church,  and  his  name  was  dropped 
from  the  roll  of  the  presbytery  April,  1870. 

April,  1867,  Isaac  W.  Monfort  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  White  Water.  His  labors  were  in  con- 
nection with  the  church  at  Greenfield. 

September,  1867,  W.  B.  Chamberlain,  a  licentiate  ot 
the  Presbytery  of  Madison,  was  received.  He  became 
stated  supply  of  the  Fifth  Church  of  Indianapolis,  and 
was  ordained,  October,  1867. 

April,  1868,  L.  B.  W.  Shryock  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  New  Castle.  He  was  installed  at  Knights- 
town  in  the  fall  of  1868. 

September,  1868,  Robert  Sloss,  a  licentiate  of  the 
Third  Presbytery  of  New  York,  was  received.  Receiv- 
ing and  accepting  a  call  from  the  Third  Church  of  Indi- 
anapolis, he  was  ordained  and  installed. 

April,  1869,  J.  C.  King  was  dismissed  to  the  Presby- 
tery of  Iowa. 

April,  1870,  J.  R.  Walker  was  received  from  the  In- 
diana Presbytery  of  the  United  Presbyterian  church. 

DEATHS. 

The  death  of  John  Gilchrist,  pastor  of  Sugar  Creek 
church,  is  recorded  in  the  minutes  of  the  sessions  of 
presbytery  in  April,  1863. 

In  the  minutes  of  the  sessions  of  presbytery,  in  Sep- 
tember, 1864,  the  death  .of  William  Sickles,  at  the  age 
of  three  score  and  ten,  is  recorded.  Also  the  death  of 
John  F.  Smith,  in  the  prime  of  his  life,  and  pastor  of 
the  church  at  Hopewell  at  the  time  of  his  decease. 

STATE    OF    THE    COUNTRY. 

September,  1861,  the  presbytery  passed  the  following 
resolution : 

Resolved,  That  this  presbytery  hereby  expresses  its  cordial  ap- 
proval of  the  resolutions  adopted  at  the  late  meeting  of  the  Asaem- 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  HI 

bly,  in  regard  to  the  state  of  the  country,  and  express  the  hope  that 
the  churches  under  its  watch  and  care  will  continue  instant  in 
prayer,  that  the  constituted  authorities  of  the  nation  may  be  sus- 
tained in  their  efforts  to  suppress  this  rebellion,  and  bring  the  con- 
flict which  has  been  precipitated  upon  us,  to  a  speedy  and  suc- 
cessful issue. 

The  following  resolutions  were  also  passed  : 

Resolved,  That  we  are  sensible  of  the  evil  efifects  of  the  present 
state  of  our  national  affairs  upon  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  we  do 
earnestly  urge  upon  the  churches  under  our  care  the  necessity  of 
frequent  and  persevering  prayer  for  the  presence  of  the  Holj^  Spirit 
to  withstand  those  worldly  influences  which  threaten  to  secularize 
the  church  and  render  ineffectual  the  preaching  of  the  word. 

Resolved,  That  we  recognize  higher  relations  and  duties  than  those 
imposed  by  civil  governments,  and  would  therefore  earnestly  ap- 
peal to  our  brethren  in  the  Southern  States  to  unite  with  us  in  sup- 
plications to  our  common  King  and  Saviour,  that  he  may  bless  our 
country  with  a  speedy,  righteous  and  permanent  peace. 

Resolved,  That  we  recommend  to  all  our  ministers  and  churches 
the  propriety  of  observing  the  day  of  prayer  appointed  by  the  PreS- 
ideivt  of  the  United  States. 

April,  1863,  the  following  resolutions  were  passed : 

Resolved,  1st,  That  presbytery  enjoins  upon  all  the  churches  under 
its  care  the  full  and  faithful  observance  of  the  day  of  fasting  and 
prayer,  as  recommended  in  the  recent  proclamation  of  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States. 

2d.  This  presbytery,  as  an  ecclesiastical  court,  called  to  witness 
for  Christ  before  the  world,  cannot  refrain  a  public  expression  of  its 
gratification  that  the  resolution  of  the  Senate  of  the  United  States, 
asking  the  appointment  of  a  day  of  fasting,  makes  such  distinct 
mention  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  the  heaven-appointed  way  of 
access  to  God  the  Father.  This  recognition  of  our  Divine  Mediator 
by  our  national  authorities  is  as  gratifying  as  it  is  rare.  Our  hope 
for  our  country  grows  strong  as  we  see  our  rulers  giving  heed  to  the 
divine  injunction :  Be  wise,  now,  therefore,  oh,  ye  kings ;  be 
instructed,  oh,  ye  judges  of  the  earth  ;  serve  the  Lord  with  fear  and 
rejoice  with  trembling.  Kiss  the  Son,  lest  He  be  angry  and  ye  per- 
ish from  the  wav  when  His  wrath  is  kindled  but  a  little. 


112  HISTORY  OF  THE 

REVIVALS. 

In  the  year  1862  a  quiet,  but  efficient  work  of  grace 
was  wrought  in  many  of  the  churches.  Christians  were 
revived.  This  was  the  especial  feature  of  the  work,  a 
deepening  of  the  piety  and  a  quickening  of  the  activity 
of  Christians.  Sinners  also  were  converted.  In  the 
church  of  Hopewell  forty  were  added  to  the  church  on 
the  profession  of  their  faith. 

In  the  year  1866  "  blessings  of  more  than  ordinary 
magnitude  and  preciousness  "  were  bestowed  upon  the 
majority  of  the  churches.  One  church  received  into  its 
membership,  upon  examination,  forty-eight,  another 
thirty- eight,  another  thirty,  another  twenty-seven,  other 
churches  less  numbers. 

Of  the  beginning  of  1869  it  is  said :  "  During  the 
latter  part  of  April  the  city  of  Indianapolis  was  visited 
by  a  remarkable  outpouring  of  God's  spirit.  During  the 
refreshing  which  followed  in  the  month  of  May,  June 
and  July,  the  churches  in  that  city  under  the  control  of 
this  presbytery  received  a  special  blessing,  both  in  the 
ingathering  of  new  members  and  in  a  general  quicken- 
ing of  spiritual  life  among  the  members."   ^ 

In  the  spring  of  1870  it  was  reported  that  in  nearly  all 
the  churches  there  had  been  a  deep  religious  interest, 
and  in  many  of  them  most  remarkable  works  of  grace. 
In  the  churches  of  Franklin  and  Hopewell,  immediately 
following  the  week  of  prayer,  God's  spirit  had  been 
poured  out  above  what  they  could  ask  or  think. 

In  the  Franklin  church  one  hundred  had  been 
received  on  examination  ;  in  the  Hopewell  church,  sev- 
enty-seven ;  in  the  Fifth  Indianapolis,  thirty-five;  in 
the  Third,  one  hundred  and  thirty-two. 

REUNION. 

April,  1865,  Rev.  C.  H.  Marshall  and  Elder  W.  N. 


PRE8B  YTEB  Y  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  113 

Jackson,  of  the  Indianapolis  Presbytery,  N.  S.,  appeared 
in  the  Old  School  Presbytery,  and  presented  the  action 
their  body  had  taken  on  the  subject  of  reunion.  The 
following  action  was  taken  : 

Resolved,  1st,  That  this  presbytery  hail  with  unusual  pleasure  the 
presence  in  our  sessions  of  the  brethren,  Rev.  C.  H.  Marshall  and 
Ruling  Elder  W.  N.  Jackson,  corresponding  delegates  to  this  body 
from  the  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis,  N.  S. 

2d,  That  we  heartily  reciprocate  the  action  of  that  presbytery 
looking  to  a  harmonious  and  honorable  blending  of  the  two 
branches  of  the  Presbyterian  church  in  the  United  States. 

3d,  That  the  Rev.  George  C.  Heckman  and  Ruling  Elder  James 
Blake  be  appointed  principals,  and  Rev.  A.  B.  Morey  and  Professor 
Daniel  Kirkwood  their  alternates,  as  delegates  to  convey  our 
Christian  salutations  and  brotherly  love  to  the  Presbytery  of 
Indianapolis,  N.  S.,  at  its  next  stated  meeting  at  Edinburg,  on  the 
15th  of  September  next,  with  the  expression  of  our  earnest,  prayer- 
ful desire  for  an  organic  union  between  our  respective  bodies,  when 
su^h  shall  be  the  will  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

As  the  subject  of  reunion  came  up  time  after  time  in 
its  progress  toward  consummation,  there  were  various 
discussions,  and  various  resolutions  were  passed.  The 
record  of  the  linal  and  decisive  vote  in  September,  1869, 
in  response  to  the  action  of  the  General  Assembly,  is : 
Resolved,  That  we  answer  the  overture  of  the  General 
Assembly  on  the  subject  of  reunion  of  the  two  bodies 
claiming  the  name  and  rights  of  the  Presbyterian  church 
in  the  United  States,  in  the  affirmative.  Ayes,  15 ; 
nay,  1. 

FIRST  CHURCH    OF   INDIANAPOLIS. 

The  Rev.  J.  Howard  Nixon,  of  the  Presbytery  of 
Troy,  was  called  to  the  pastorate  of  this  church,  Decem- 
ber 17,  1860.  This  pastoral  relation  was  dissolved  April 
14,  1869.  The  Rev.  R.  D.  Harper,  D.  D.,  was  called 
April  22,  1869.  The  membership  of  the  church  in  1870, 
was  three  hundred  and  fifteen. 


114  HISTORY  OF  THE 

In  the  fall  of  1864,  the  foundation  of  the  third  church 
ediUce  erected  by  this  church  was  laid  at  the  corner  of 
Pennsylvania  and  New  York  streets.  The  following 
year  the  chapel,  containing  a  lecture  room  and  Sabbath 
School  rooms,  was  erected.  The  corner  stone  of  the 
main  portion  of  the  building  was  laid  July  23,  1866. 
The  edifice  was  completed  and  opened  for  the  worship 
of  God,  December  29,  1868.  The  cost  of  this  building 
was  between  one  hundred  and  four  and  five  thousand 
dollars. 

SEVENTH  CHURCH  OP  INDIANAPOLIS. 

One  Sabbath  day,  early  in  the  year  1865,  Wm.  R. 
Craig,  a  resident  of  ihe  south-eastern  part  of  Indiana- 
polis, was  much  disturbed  by  a  rude  and  lawless  troop 
of  boys.  Their  repeated  and  flagrant  violations  of  the 
Sabbath,  and  unruly  conduct  generally,  had  often  out- 
raged the  feelings  of  the  staid  old  Scotchman,  but  never 
to  such  a  degree  as  on  this  occasion.  He  now  for  the 
first  time  began  seriously  to  debate  with  himself  the 
question  of  a  remedy.  He  finall}'  decided  that  a  Sab- 
bath School,  by  reaching  the  consciences  of  the  ofienders 
would,  in  the  course  of  time,  eftect  a  thorough  and  last- 
ing cure.  Being  an  elder  of  the  First  Church,  he  ap- 
plied to  his  brethren  for  help.  They  willingly  co-oper- 
ated with  iiim.  A  Sabbath  School  was  established.  Its 
first  session  was  in  the  room  of  a  carpenter  shop,  be- 
longing to  Peter  Routier,  on  Cedar  street.  The  number 
of  scholars  at  the  first  session  was  seven.  The  school 
rapidly  increased.  Through  the  exertions  of  James  M. 
Ray  of  the  First  Church,  a  site  was  secured  in  Fletcher's 
addition,  donated  by  Calvin  Fletcher,  Sr.,  A.  Stone,  W. 
S.  Witt,  Elisha  Taylor  and  James  M.  Hough.  The 
Board  of  Church  Extension  pledged  five  hundred  dol- 
lars to  the  erection  of  a  building,  and  the  First  Church 


PRESB  YTER  Y  OF  INDIA  NA POLLS.  115 

took  upon  itself  the  responsibilty  of  carrying  the  enter- 
prise through.  A  building  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  over 
three  thousand  dollars,  and  December  24,  1865,  dedica- 
ted to  the  service  of  God.  The  First  Church  appropri- 
ated five  hundred  dollars  to  the  support  of  a  mission- 
ary in  the  field.  W.  W.  Sickles  first  undertook  the 
work.  Becoming  discouraged,  he  resigned  in  the  spring 
of  1866.  Thomas  Gait,  a  licentiate  of  Chicago  Presby- 
tery and  member  of  the  Theological  Seminary  in  Chi- 
cago, labored  in  the  field  during  the  summer  of  1866. 
September,  1866,  C.  M.  Howard,  from  the  Presbytery  of 
St.  Paul,  was  invited  to  occupy  the  field.  November 
27,  1867,  a  church  was  organized  with  twenty-three 
members.  Six  of  these,  including  an  elder,  W.  R. 
Criig,  were  from  the  First  Church.  Mr.  Craig  was  the 
first  elder  of  the  Seventh  Church.  Mr.  Howard  served 
the  church  as  stated  supply  until  October,  1869,  when, 
on  account  of  failing  health,  he  withdrew  from  the  field. 
He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  B.  Brandt,  who  served  one 
year,  when  being  elected  Superintendent  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association  of  the  city,  he  resigned. 
He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  L.  G.  Hay.  From  April, 
1868,  to  April,  1869,  sixty-three  were  added  on  profes- 
sion of  their  faith,  and  a  membership  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty-two  reported  in  the  spring  of  1869.  The 
membership  reported  in  1870,  was  one  hundred  and 
forty  and  four. 

BROWNSBURG  AND    CLERMONT. 

The  church  of  Brownsburg  was  organized  in  1867, 
with  seventeen  members.  It  was  ministered  to  by  Rev. 
George  Long.  It  erected  a  substantial  brick  edifice,  and 
reported  in  1870,  a  membership  of  thirty.  The  neigh- 
boring church  of  Clermont,  reported  m  1870,  a  mem- 
bership of  fourteen. 


116  HISTORY  OF  THE 

GREENCASTLE. 

The  Second  Church  of  Greencastle  continued  under 
the  ministry  of  Dr.  Fisk  until  the  reunion.  He  then 
became  stated  supply  of  the  united  church,  which  re- 
ported in  1870,  as  has  been  ah-eady  stated,  a  member- 
ship of  two  hundred  and  fifty.  The  membership  of  the 
Second  Church  reported  in  1869,  was  one  hundred.  Du- 
ring the  winter  of  1869  and  1870,  eighty  persons  were 
received  upop  profession  of  faith  into  the  united  church. 

CARPENTERSVILLE. 

The  church  of  Carpentersville  reported,  in  1870,  a 
membership  of  seventy-one. 

BLOOMINGTON. 

In  1863  a  new  church  edifice  was  dedicated  to  the 
worship  of  God.  This  church  edifice  was  built  under 
the  ministry  of  T.  M.  Hopkins,  whose  energy  and  zeal 
in  the  work  were  untiring.  During  the  ministry  of  Mr. 
Hopkins  one  hundred  and  seventeen  members  were 
added  to  the  church,  sixty-one  upon  examination,  fifty- 
six  by  letter.  In  January,  1869,  Mr.  Hopkins,  accept- 
ng  a  call  to  the  First  Church  of  Fiqua,  Ohio,  was 
released  from  the  pastorate.  In  March,  1869,  A.  Y. 
Moore,  of  the  Presbytery  of  Lake,  was  called  to  the  pas- 
torate. As  pastor  elect  of  the  First  Church  and  stated 
supply  of  the  Second,  he  ministered  to  the  united  con- 
gregation from  October,  1869,  to  April,  1870.  During 
this  time  the  Spirit  of  God  was  poured  out  upon  the 
people,  and  thirty-two  persons  were  received  into  the 
two  churches  upon  profession  of  their  faith,  twenty-five 
to  the  First  Church,  seven  to  the  Second.  In  April  the 
two  churches  became  united  as  the  Walnut  Street  Pres- 
byterian Church  of  Bloomington.  A.  Y.  Moore  was 
called  to  the  pastorate,  and  installed  by  the  Presbytery 


PBESB  YTER  F  OF  INDIA NA POLLS.  117 

of  New  Albany.  The  Second  Church,  during  its  his- 
tory, had  received  into  its  communion,  up  to  the  fall  of 
1869,  one  hundred  and  four  persons  by  examination  and 
seventy-four  by  letter.  At  the  time  of  the  union  of  the 
two  churches  it  had  a  membership  of  sixty-eight.  Up 
to  October,  1869,  there  had  been  received  into  the  com- 
munion of  the  First  Church,  from  the  time  of  its  organi- 
zation, four  hundred  and  eighty-nine  persons.  Of  these, 
two  hundred  and  sixty  were  received  upon  profession  of 
their  faith,  two  hundred  and  twenty-nine  by  letter.  The 
membership  of  the  First  Church  at  the  time  of  the  union 
was  one  hundred  and  sixty-eight.  In  the  spring  of  1870 
the  Walnut  Street  Church  had  a  membership  of  two 
hundred  and  thirty-six. 

NUMBERS. 

In  the  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis,  0.  S.,  there  w^ere, 
in  1870,  eleven  ministers  and  fifteen  churches,  with  a 
membership  of  two  thousand  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
seven.  Of  these  churches  twelve  were  within  the  bounds 
of  the  present  presbytery.  They  had  a  membership  of 
eighteen  hundred  and  thirty-one.  The  other  Old  School 
churches  in  the  bounds  of  the  present  presbytery  aggre- 
gated a  membership  of  nine  hundred  and  twenty-six, 
making  a  total  membership^in  the  Old  School  churches 
of  two  thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifty-seven.  The 
membership  of  the  New  School  churches,  within  the 
bounds  of  the  present  presbytery,  seventeen  hundred  and 
seventeen,  added  to  the  membership  of  the  Old  School 
churches,  gave  a  membership  of  four  thousand  four  hun- 
dred and  seventy-four  to  the  churches  within  the  bound- 
aries of  the  present  presbytery  at  the  time  of  its  organi- 
zation, July  5,  1870. 

The  population  of  the  counties  within  the  presbytery 
was,  in  1870,  188,729.     It  was,  in  1860,  158,534.     The 


118  HISTORY  OF  THE 

increase  was  between  twenty-five  and  thirty-five  per 
cent.  The  membership  of  the  churches  in  1860  was 
2,850  ;  in  1870,  4,474.  The  increase  is  between  forty 
and  fifty  per  cent.  And  the  proportion  of  membership 
to  population  in  1870  is  a  fraction  less  than  one  to  forty- 
five.  In  1860  it  was  one  to  fifty-five;  in  1850,  one  to 
sixty-five.  Our  church  is  thus  seen  to  have  been  grow- 
ing, not  only  with  the  growth  of  the  population  of  the 
country,  but  also  at  a  steady  rate  of  progress  more  rap- 
idly than  that  of  the  population  of  the  country. 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIIS.  H 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Indianapolhi  Presbytery — Its  Boundaries,  Members  and 
Churches — Changes  in  Churches — Ministerial  Changes — 
Missionary  Work —  Women's  Fresbyterial  Society — Hevi- 
vals — Progress. 

1870—1876. 

PRESBYTERY    OF    INDIANAPOLIS. 

After  the  reunion  of  the  Old  and  New  School  branches 
of  the  Presb^^terian  church,  the  Presbytery  of  Indianap- 
olis, as  established  by  the  Synod  of  Indiana,  South,  met 
in  the  Third  Presbyterian  church  of  Indianapolis,  at  9 
p.  M.,  July  5,  1870,  and  was  called  to  order  and  consti- 
tuted with  prayer  b}'  Rev.  Ransom  Hawley,  according 
to  the  following  order  of  the  Synod : 

"  That  the  chui-ches  located  in  the  counties  of  Putnam,  Hen- 
dricks, Marion,  Hancock,  Johnson,  Morgan,  Monroe,  Brown,  Bar- 
tholomew, containing  about  thirty-two  ministers,  be  constituted  in 
the  Indianapolis  Presbytery. 

"  That  the  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis,  as  this  day  erected  and 
defined  by  this  Synod,  is  declared  to  be,  and  is  the  legal  successor 
to  the  Presbyteries  of  Indianapolis,  0.  S.,  and  Indianapolis,  N.  S., 
formerly  occupying  in  greater  part  the  same  territory  ;  and  is  enti- 
tled to  succeed  to,  and  does  succeed  to  all  the  legal  and  ecclesiasti- 
cal rights,  privileges,  franchises,  records,  books,  papers  and  property 
of  each  of  said  other  presbyteries.  And  that  Rev.  R.  Hawley  be, 
and  he  hereby  is,  appointed  convener,  to  convene,  open  and  consti- 
tute said  Presbytery  of  Indianapolis,  in  this  house,  this  evening  at 
9  o'clock." 


120  HISTORY  OF   THE 

Rev.  R.  Hawley  was  elected  Moderator,  and  A.  B. 
Morey  Clerk. 

The  following  was  the  roll  of  presbytery  : 

Ministers  Present. — B.  F.  Woods,  A.  C.  Allen,  L.  G. 
Hay,  A.  B.  Morey,  C.  H.  Marshall,  H.  A.  Edson,  S.  E. 
Barr,  N.  S.  Palmer,  H.  Bushnell,  Jr.,  W.  B.  Chamber- 
lain, J.  B.  Brandt,  R.  Nutting,  L.  A.  Aldrich,  R.  Sloss, 
IST.  S.  Dickey,  A.  Y.  Moore,  R.  Hawley,  A.  R.  Naylor, 
R.  D.  Harper,  D.  D.,  E.  W.  Fisk,  D.  D. 

Ministers  Absent. — J.  B.  Logan,  "W.  W,  Sickles,  J.  W. 
Monfort,  George  Long,  W.  J.  Lee,  E.  Ballantine,  J. 
Greene,  E.  Wright,  C.  K.  Thompson,  John  Scott,  M.  A. 
Remley. 

Churches  Represented. — First  Indianapolis,  W.  Sheets; 
Columbus,  C.  H.  Paddox ;  Walnut  street,  Bloomington, 
James  Small ;  Southport,  S.  Moore ;  Greencastle,  J. 
Allen;  Second  Lidianapolis,  C.  F.  Smith;  Brownsburg, 
E.  D.  Selent ;  Carpentersville,  G.  H.  McKee ;  Bain- 
bridge,  J.  Brown  ;  Third  Indianapolis,  J.  Blake  ;  Fourth 
Indianapolis,  R.  M.  Stewart;  Fifth  Indianapolis,  E.  A. 
Cobb ;  Olivet,  C.  Wilson  ;  Seventh  Indianapolis,  H.  C. 
Husted. 

Churches  not  Represented. — Franklinj  Greenwood,  Hope- 
well, Shiloh,  Acton,  Highland,  Bethany,  Danville, 
Georgetown,  New  Pisgah,  New  Prospect,  Boggstown, 
Union,  Greenfield,  Edinburg,  Donaldson,  Oak  Grove,  St. 
Louis  Crossing,  New  Hope,  Clermont,  White  Lick,  Put- 
namville. 

CHANGES   IN    CHURCHES. 

September,  1870,  the  churches  of  New  Pisgah  and 
New  Prospect  were  consolidated  under  the  name  of 
New  Pisgah. 

September,  1870,  presbytery,  by  request,  provided  sup- 
plies for  Stilesville,  in  Hendricks  county,  where  a  Sab- 


PRESB  YTER  Y  OF  INDIA NA POLLS'.  121 

bath  school  had  been  organized,  but  where  there  was  no 
church  of  Presbyterian  order.  At  the  meeting  of  pres- 
bytery, April,  1871,  the  organization  of  a  church  near 
Stilesville  was  reported.  It  was  enrolled  as  the  Hen- 
dricks County  Church.  The  name  has  since  been  changed 
to  Hebron.  A  church  edifice  has  been  built,  and  a  mem- 
bership of  forty-five  was  reported  April,  1876. 

September,  1871,  presbytery  appointed  a  committee  to 
organize  a  church  at  Indianola.  It  has  received  the 
name  of  Eighth  Presbyterian  Church  of  Indianapolis. 
The  field  of  this  church  was  first  occupied  by  the  Meth- 
odists. It  was  an  exceedingly  hard  field.  Having  been 
abandoned  by  the  Methodists,  three  young  members  of 
the  Third  Presbyterian  Church,  H.  H.  Fulton,  E.  L. 
Williams  and  John  G.  Blake,  established  a  mission  Sab- 
bath school  in  the  building  that  had  been  occupied  by 
the  Methodists.  Out  of  their  labors  and  this  mission 
school  grew  the  Eighth  Church.  The  first  report  to 
presbytery,  April,  1872,  was  a  membership  of  twenty - 
four,  eighteen  received  upon  profession  of  faith  and  six 
by  letter.  April,  1876,  the  membership  was  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-eight. 

At  a  special  meeting  of  presbj^tery,  February,  1872,  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  organize  the  Ninth  Presby- 
terian Church  of  Indianapolis.  April,  1872,  the  organi- 
zation of  this  church  was  reported,  with  a  membership 
of  twenty.  Fourteen  had  been  received  by  letter,  and 
six  upon  profession  of  their  faith.  The  field  of  this 
church  was  first  occupied  with  a  Sabbath  school  organi- 
zation. It  was  known  as  the  "  Saw  Mill  Mission."  The 
first  school  was  not  prosperous,  and  becoming  extinct, 
another  was  established  in  July,  1870.  The  leading 
spirits  in  the  new  organization  were  Gen.  Ben.  Harrison, 
Dr.  C.  C.  Burgess,  Ebenezer  Sharpe,  Capt.  E.  P.  Howe, 


122  HISTORY  OF  THE 

I.  C.  Hays  and  others,  all  members  of  the  First  Presby- 
terian Church.  Rev.  L.  G.  Hay  took  charge  of  the  mis- 
sion, and  after  the  organization  of  the  church  was  its 
stated  supply  for  several  years.  The  membership  re- 
ported April,  1876,  was  one  hundred  and  thirty. 

April,  1872,  the  church  of  St.  Louis  Crossing  was  dis- 
banded. 

September,  1872,  the  Highland  church  was  disbanded. 

The  Memorial  Church  was  organized  March  12,  1873, 
with  thirty-one  members,  thirty  received  upon  certifi- 
cate, one  upon  examination.  The  origin  of  Memorial 
Church  is  to  be  traced  to  the  action  of  the  session  of  the 
Second  Presbyterian  Church,  in  the  winter  of  1869-'70. 
It  was  the  desire  to  signalize  the  memorial  year  of  Pres- 
byterian reunion  by  another  mission.  Lots  were  pur- 
chased and  a  chapel  erected  in  the  north-east  quarter  of 
the  city,  and  a  Sabbath  school  established.  The  enter- 
prise was  not  at  first  successful,  and  it  was  proposed  at 
one  time  to  sell  the  property  and  abandon  the  mission. 
But  better  counsels  prevailed.  The  Young  Men's  Asso- 
ciation of  the  Second  Church  was  entrusted  with  the 
work,  and  it  was  prosecuted  with  vigor,  resulting  in  the 
organization  of  the  church.  April,  1873,  Rev.  H.  A. 
Edson,  released  from  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  Second 
Church,  entered  upon  the  labors  of  the  field  of  the  Me- 
morial Church.  A  site  was  at  once  purchased  for  a  per- 
manent church  edifice,  and  contracts  let  for  the  building. 
The  corner-stone  was  laid  for  the  new  structure  April  7, 
1874.  The  chapel  and  Sabbath  school  rooms  of  the  new 
building  were  occupied  for  worship  for  the  first  time 
Sabbath,  March  7,  1875.  The  church  has  been  self-sus- 
taining from  the  first.  It  reported  April,  1876,  a  mem- 
bership of  two  hundred  and  eighty-eight. 

April  18,  1875,  the  Eleventh  Presbyterian  church  of 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  123 

Indianapolis  was  organized.  It  reported,  April,  1876,  a 
membership  of  forty,  twenty-three  had  been  received  by 
letter,  seventeen  upon  profession  of  their  faith.  Rev. 
B.  F.  Woods  has  been  stated  supply  of  the  church. 

June  14,  1876,  the  Twelfth  Presbyterian  church  of 
Indianapolis  was  organized. 

MINISTERIAL    CHANGES. 

The  Emperor  of  Brazil,  Dom  Pedro,  when  he  saw  in 
Machinery  Hall  of  the  Centennial  Exposition,  the  record 
of  the  number  of  the  revolutions  of  the  great  Corliss  en- 
gine, more  than  a  million,  that  had  been  made  from  the 
beginning  of  its  working  wittily  remarked,  "that  beats 
the  South  American  Republics  for  revolutions."  The 
frequency  of  changes  among  the  ministers  of  Indianap- 
olis Presbytery,  is  a  fitting  subject  for  imperial  wit.  An 
acknowledged  evil  both  to  churches  and  ministers,  it 
manifestly  demands  a  remedy.  We  note  these  changes 
from  1870  to  1876. 

September,  1870,  I.  W.  Monfort  was  dismissed  to  the 
Presbytery  of  St.  Paul. 

September,  1870,  W.  J.  Lee  was  released  from  the 
pastoral  care  of  the  church  at  Danville.  April,  1873, 
he  was  dismissed  to  the  Presbytery  of  Osage,  Missouri. 

September,  1870,  L.  A.  Aldrich  was  released  from  the 
pastorate  of  the  Sixth  church  of  Indianapolis.  Septem- 
ber, 1871,  he  was  dismissed  to  the  Presbytery  of  Cin- 
cinnati. 

September,  1870,  J.  G.  Williamson  was  received  from 
the  Presbytery  of  New  Albany.  He  was  supply  of  the 
Bethany  church  until  failing  health  disabled  him  from 
preaching. 

In  the  fall  of  1870,  E.  W.  Fisk,  D.  D.,  was  installed 
pastor  of  the  church   at  Greencastle.     This  pastoral  re- 


124  HISTORY  OF   THE 

lation  was  dissolved  April,  1872,  that  Dr.  Fisk  might 
devote  his  labors  to  the  Female  College  of  Indiana. 

October,  1870,  W.  B.  Chamberlain  was  installed  pas- 
tor of  the  Fifth  Church  at  Indianapolis.  October,  1872, 
he  was  released  from  this  pastoral  charge,  and  dismissed 
April,  1873,  to  the  Presbytery  of  Mankato,  Minnesota. 
September,  1875,  he  was  again  received  from  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Mankato,  leave  given  him  to  labor  without 
the  bounds  of  presbytery,  and  September,  1876,  he  was 
dismissed  to  the  Presbytery  of  Council  BluiFs. 

April,  1871,  R.  D.  Harper,  D.  D.,  was  released  from 
the  pastoral  care  of  the  First  Church  of  Indianapolis, 
and  dismissed  to  the  Third  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia. 

April,  1871,  Joseph  E.  Scott  was  received  from  the 
Presbyteiy  of  West  Jersey.  He  was  stated  supply  of 
the  Sixth  Church  ot  Indianapolis  for  one  year,  and  then 
entered  upon  the  field  of  Foreign  Missions  in  eastern 
Turkey. 

April,  1871,  Alexander  Parker  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  White  Water.  October,  1871,  he  was  in- 
stalled pastor  of  the  church  at  Columbus. 

April,  1871,  II.  L.  Dickerson  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Crawfordsville.  After  laboring  as  stated 
supply  for  two  years  with  the  Edinburg  church,  he  was 
dismissed  April,  1873,  to  the  Presbytery  of  Crawfords- 
ville. 

April,  1871,  N.  S.  Dickey  was  dismissed  to  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Mattoon. 

April,  1871,  Ambrose  Dunn  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  New  Albany.  His  field  of  labor  since, 
has  been  the  Greenwood  church. 

April,  1871,  R.  B.  Herron  was  received  from  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Cincinnati.     He  labored  for  a  season  as  pas- 


PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  125 

tor  elect  of  the  Danville  church,  is  now  stated  supply 
of  Brownsburg  and  Shiloh. 

April,  1871,  the  pastoral  relation  between  A.  B.  Morey 
and  the  Franklin  church  was  dissolved,  and  he  was  dis- 
missed to  the  Presbytery  of  Cincinnati,  to  be  installed 
pastor  of  the  Fifth  Church  of  Cincinnati,  a  call  from 
which  church  had  at  a  previous  meeting  of  presbytery 
been  placed  in  his  hands. 

June,  1871,  C.  H.  Raymond  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Dayton.  In  the  following  July,  he  was 
installed  pastor  of  the  Seventh  Church  of  Indianapolis. 

September  1871,  J.  P.  E.  Kumler  was  received  from 
the  Presbytery  of  Vincennes,  and  in  October  following, 
installed  pastor  of  the  First  Church  at  Indianapolis. 
July,  1875,  application  was  made  to  presbytery  by  Mr. 
Kumler,  for  release  from  this  pastoral  charge  that  he 
might  accept  a  call  to  the  Third  Church  of  Cincinnati. 
The  First  Church  of  Indianapolis  resisted  the  appli- 
cation of  their  pastor  to  the  presbytery,  and  it  was  not 
granted.  In  September  the  application  was  renewed  by 
the  pastor,  and  was  granted,  and  he  was  dismissed  to 
the  Presbj'tery  of  Cincinnati. 

April,  1871,  James  Williamson  was  licensed  to  preach 
the  gospel.  October  following  he  was  ordained  and 
installed  pastor  of  the  churches  of  Acton  and  Boggs- 
town.  October,  1875,  he  was  released  from  the  pastoral 
care  of  the  Boggstown  church. 

April,  1872,  S.  E.  Wishard  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Sangamon,  and  installed  pastor  of  the 
Franklin  church. 

April,  1872,  J.  B.  Logan  was  dismissed  to  the  Presby- 
tery of  Crawfordsville.  September,  1873,  he  was  again 
received. 

April,   1872,  S.  S.  Bergen  was  licensed  to  preach  the 


126  HISTORY  OF  THE 

gospel.  November,  1872,  he  was  ordained  an  evangel- 
ist. April,  1872,  he  was  dismissed  to  the  Presbytery  of 
Austin,  Texas. 

May,  1872,  J.  B.  Brandt  was  installed  pastor  of  the 
Sixth  Church  of  Indianapolis. 

May,  1872,  John  Dixon  was  licensed  to  preach  the 
gospel.  May,  1873,  he  was  dismissed  to  put  himself 
under  the  care  of  the  Presbytery  of  Boston. 

June,  1872,  Robert  Sloss,  accepting  a  call  to  the  Four- 
teenth Street  Church  of  New  York  city,  placed  by  pres- 
bytery in  his  hands,  was  released  from  the  pastoral  care 
of  the  Third  Church  of  Indianapolis,  and  dismissed  to 
the  Presbytery  of  New  York. 

April,  18,73,  Augustus  L.  Williams,  a  licentiate,  was 
received  from  the  Presbytery  of  Lansing.  He  was 
stated  supply  of  the  church  at  Greencastle  for  eighteen 
mouths.  September,  1875,  he  was  dismissed  to  the  Cen- 
tral Presbytery  of  Philadelphia. 

April,  1873,  J.  A.  Williams  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Austin.  He  became  supply  of  the  church 
at  Edinburg.  September,  1875,  he  was  dismissed  to  the 
Presbytery  of  White  Water. 

April,  1873,  J.  R.  Mitchell  was  received  from  the 
Presbyter}'  of  White  Water,  and  installed  pastor  of  the 
Fifth  Church  of  Indianapolis. 

April,  1873,  the  pastoral  relation  of  H.  A.  Edson  and 
the  Second  Church  of  Indianapolis  was  dissolved,  and  he 
entered  upon  his  work  in  the  Memorial  Church. 

September,  1873,  E.  B.  Mason  was  received  from  the 
Puritan  Association  of  Ohio,  and  installed  pastor  of  the 
Fourth  Church  of  Indianapolis. 

October,  1873,  J.  L.  Withrow,  D.  D.,  called  by  the 
Second  Church  of  Indianapolis,  was  received  Irom  the 
Central  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia,  and  installed.     This 


PRESB  YTER  Y  OF  INDIA  NA  POLIS.  127 

pastoral  relation  was  dissolved  June,  1876,  that  Dr. 
Withrow  might  accept  a  call  to  the  Park  Street  Church, 
Boston. 

December,  1873,  G.  W.  F.  Birch  was  received  from 
the  Presbytery  of  Ebenezer,  Kentucky,  and  installed 
pastor  of  the  Third  Church  of  Indianapolis.  This  pas- 
toral relation  was  dissolved  June,  1876. 

April,  1874,  George  Long  was  dismissed  to  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Logausport. 

May,  1874,  Lucius  I.  Root  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Mattoon,  and  installed  pastor  of  the 
church  at  Greencastle.  This  pastoral  relation  was  dis- 
solved, January,  1876,  and  a  letter  of  dismissal  given  to 
Mr.  Root  to  the  Presbytery  of  Alton. 

Ma}',  1874,  Charles  T.  White,  D.  D.,  was  received 
from  the  Presbytery  of  Chemung.  He  became  stated 
supply  of  the  church  at  Greenfield,  and  was  dismissed 
June,  1876,  to  the  Presbytery  of  White  Water. 

May,  1874,  William  Armstrong  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Portsmouth. 

May,  1874,  John  R.  Sutherland,  a  licentiate,  was 
received  from  the  Presbytery  of  Chicago,  ordained  and 
installed  pastor  of  the  Eighth  Churdh.  He  was  released 
from  this  pastoral  charge  JSTovember,  1875,  and  dis- 
missed to  the  Presbytery  of  Grand  Rapids. 

June,  1874,  S.  E.  Barr  was  released  from  the  pastoral 
care  of  the  Hopewell  Church,  and  dismissed  to  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Fort  Wayne. 

September,  1874,  N.  F.  Tuck  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Louisville. 

January,  1875,  E.  L.  Williams  was  licensed.  June, 
1876,  he  was  ordained  and  installed  pastor  of  the  Eighth 
and  Twelfth  Churches  of  Indianapolis. 

April,  1875,  L.  F.  Walker  was  received  from  the  Pres- 


128  HISTORY  OF  THE 

b3'tery  of  Mattoon,  and  in  May  following  installed  pas- 
tor of  the  Ninth  Church  of  Indianapolis. 

April,  1875,  Edwin  Black  was  received  from  the  Pres- 
byter}' of  Mattoon,  and  installed  pastor  of  the  Hopewell 
church, 

April,  1875,  M.  M.  Lawson  was  licensed  to  preach  the 
gospel.  September,  1875,  he  was  dismissed  to  put  him- 
self under  the  care  of  the  Presbytery  of  Marion. 

April,  1875,  Henr}-  L.  Nave  was  licensed.  June,  1876, 
he  was  ordained  and  installed  pastor  of  the  church  at 
Edinburg, 

December,  1875,  R.  J.  L.  Matthews  was  received  from 
the  Presbytery  of  Cairo. 

April,  1876,  E.  H.  Post  was  received  from  the  Presby- 
tery of  San  Jose.  He  became  supply  of  the  church  at 
Danville. 

April,  1876,  John  H.  Harris  was  received  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Cincinnati.  He  became  supply  of  the 
Bethany  church. 

DEATHS. 

Since  1870  four  of  the  members  of  presbytery  have  en- 
tered, through  the  gates  of  death,  into  the  presence  and 
joy  of  their  Lord. 

Charles  H.  Marshall  died  at  Indianapolis,  January  27, 
1872,  at  the  age  of  forty- eight. 

Charles  K.  Thompson  died  at  Carlisle,  Eebruary  8, 
1872,  at  the  age  of  sixty-one. 

Edward  Wright  died  at  Bloomington,  November  10, 
1872,  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight. 

N.  S.  Palmer  died  at  Franklin,  November  24,  1873,  at 
the  age  of  tiftj^-two. 

MISSIONARY    WORK. 

Rev.  J.  B,  Logan  was  employed  in  1870-71  as  presby- 
terial  missionary.     By  instruction  from  the  presbytery, 


PRESB  YTER  Y  OF  INDIA NAPOLIS.  129 

one  result  to  be  aimed  at  by  the  missionary  was  the 
grouping  of  feeble  churches  and  combining  them  in  the 
support  of  a  minister,  so  that  they  would  require  no 
aid  from  the  Board  of  Missions.  This  object  having 
been  attained,  and  the  churches  supplied  with  ministers, 
no  new  fields  outside  of  Indianapolis  opening  for  occu- 
pation, the  services  of  the  presbyterial  missionary  were 
discontinued  at  the  close  of  September,  1871. 

September,  1876,  but  two  churches  were  reported  as 
receiving  aid  from  the  Board  of  Missions,  the  Eleventh 
Church  of  Indianapolis  and  the  church  of  Georgetown. 

The  amount  annually  contributed  to  the  cause  of 
home  missions,  since  1870,  has  been,  on  an  average,  a 
little  more  than  $3,250.  A  large  portion  of  this  has 
been  expended  on  mission  churches  within  the  city  of 
Indianapolis. 

The  work  of  Foreign  Missions  has  not  received  so  large 
an  amount  from  the  churches.  The  annual  contribution 
from  the  churches  of  the  presbytery  to  the  cause  of  For- 
eign Missions,  has  been  about  $2,000. 

woman's  mission  work. 

September,  1872,  a  resolution  of  presbytery  earnestly 
commended  the  Women's  Board  of  Missions  to  the  ses- 
sions and  women  of  the  churches  of  presbytery.  In  a 
number  of  the  churches,  missionary  organizations  of  the 
ladies  of  the  churches  were  formed.  September,  1874, 
the  following  resolution  was  passed  by  presbytery  : 

Resolved,  That  we  request  a  committee  of  three  ladies,  members 
of  our  church,  to  communicate  with  all  the  chui'ches  of  the  presby- 
tery, requesting  them  to  effect  the  organization  of  a  Woman's  Mis- 
sionary Society,  and  to  secure  the  appointment  of  one  or  more  del- 
egates from  each  church  to  be  present  at  the  next  meeting  of 
presbytery. 

Mrs.  J.  P.  E.  Kumler,  of  the  First  Church  of  Indian- 

0 


130  HISTORY  OF  THE 

apolis,  Mrs.  J.  Clark,  of  the  Fraukliu  church,  and  Mrs. 
C.  H.  Raymond,  of  the  Seventh  Church  of  Indianapolis, 
were  appointed  this  committee. 

At  the  next  stated  meeting  of  the  presbytery  at  Indi- 
anapolis, April,  1875,  a  number  of  ladies,  delegates  from 
their  missionary  societies,  assembled  and  organized  a 
presbyterial  society.  Thirteen  societies  were  reported 
to  them  as  organized  within  the  bounds  of  the  presby- 
tery. Upon  invitation  of  the  Ladies'  Presbyterial  Soci- 
ety, the  Woman's  Board  of  the  North-west  met  in  Indi- 
anapolis, April,  1876.  The  meeting  of  this  board, 
through  the  presence  of  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  was  a 
glorious  occasion,  and  great  good  was  accomplished. 
The  ladies  are  quietly  but  earnestly  pursuing  their  work 
in  the  different  churches,  meeting  also  in  their  presby- 
terial society  at  the  time  of  the  stated  meetings  of  pres- 
bytery. 

REVIVALS. 

Every  year  since  1870  there  have  been  revivals  in 
some  of  the  churches  of  the  presbytery.  The  year  of 
1872-'73  seemed  to  be  most  barren  of  results  in  the  con- 
version of  souls  and  additions  to  the  churches.  The 
year  of  187o-'74  was  a  year  of  revivals,  and  additions 
were  made  in  good!}*  numbers  to  many  of  the  churches. 
The  year  of  1874-'75  was  also  a  year  of  blessing,  and 
still  more  signally  the  year  of  1875-'76.  During  this 
last  named  year  six  hundred  and  sixty-one  were  added 
to  the  churches  on  profession  of  faith.  The  next  largest 
accession  to  the  churches  was  in  1873-'74,  when  five 
hundred  and  two  were  added  on  profession  of  faith. 
The  least  number  added  was  in  the  year  1872-'73,  when 
two  hundred  and  twenty  were  added  on  profession  of 
faith. 


PRESB  YTER  Y  OF  INDIANAPOLIS.  131 


PROGRESS. 


One  church  a  year  has  been  added  since  1870  to  the 
roll  of  the  churches  of  presbytery.  All  of  these  churches 
have  a  promising  future.  Five  are  in  Indianapolis. 
One,  the  Memorial  Church,  is  already  one  of  the  strong 
churches  of  the  presbytery.  Several  new  church  build- 
ings have  been  erected.  According  to  the  United  States 
census  report  the  value  of  church  property  held  in  1860 
by  the  Presbyterian  churches  within  the  bounds  of  the 
present  presbytery,  was  a  little  less  than  $150,000.  The 
estimated  value  of  property  now  held  by  the  churches  is 
about  $600,000. 

During  the  last  six  years,  the  churches  have  received 
into  their  communion,  upon  profession  of  their  faith, 
two  thousand  four  hundred  and  seventy-six  (2,476)  mem- 
bers, and  by  letter,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  fif- 
teen (1,815.)  The  present  membership  of  the  church  is 
five  thousand  eight  hundred  and  nineteen  (5,819,)  an  in- 
crease in  membership  since  1870,  of  more  than  thirty- 
three  per  cent.  The  number  of  churches  is  thirty-eight, 
the  number  of  ministers  forty.  Of  these  ministers  ten 
are  without  charge,  some  by  reason  of  the  infirmities  of 
age,  others  for  other  reasons.  One  is  a  Professor  in  the 
State  University,  another  is  a  Foreign  Missionary.  The 
eftective  ministerial  force  of  the  presbytery,  is  twenty- 
eight  ministers.  The  field  is  rich  and  will  become  richer 
and  more  productive  with  cultivation.  It  is  the  central 
region  of  the  State  in  which  it  lies.  From  Indianapolis, 
the  Capital  of  the  State,  streams  of  influence  will  go 
forth  constantly  to  all  parts  of  the  State.  And  through 
the  great  missionary  organizations  of  the  churchy  the  in- 
fluence of  this  field,  in  common  with  that  of  all  other 
parts   of  the  Presbyterian  church   in   our  laud,  is  to  go 


132  PRESBYTERY  OF  INDIANAPOLIS. 

forth  into  all  the  world.  But  in  the  field  itself,  there  are 
many  spiritual  wastes  to  be  made,  through  the  blessing 
of  the  Lord  upon  labor,  to  blossom  as  the  rose.  "Arise,, 
O  Lord,  into  thy  rest,  thou  and  the  ark  of  thy  strength. 
Let  thy  priests  be  clothed  with  righteousness,  and  let 
thy  saints  shout  for  joy." 


Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Libraries 


1    1012  01217  0660 


